


Psycho Basement Girl

by SJHowitt



Category: NCIS
Genre: Gen, OFC - Freeform
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2013-07-12
Updated: 2013-07-15
Packaged: 2017-12-19 06:31:23
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Rape/Non-Con
Chapters: 78
Words: 32,023
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/880533
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SJHowitt/pseuds/SJHowitt
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>I have written several of these as drabbles and oneshots, this is them together.<br/>OFC</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. On the harbour side

The little boat rocked backwards and forwards on her mooring line, the fenders occasionally knocking against the old wooden pier, as she waited to be loaded. The soft wind fluttered through her furled sails, and the slick black water lapped against her varnish finished hull.

It was Labour Day, and the tiny Harbour was full of day sailors enjoying the last official day of summer, for the boat's owner though this was the first day of two weeks leave. The boat was packed with supplies, spare sheets, a small outdoor motor and enough fuel to get out of trouble, food, water barrels, and a case of bourbon. This was the boats maiden voyage, but not that of its owner.

A girl sat watching the boat's owner for a while, despite the warm sun she was wearing a heavy jumper, and hooded coat, over too large jeans and combat boots. The boat's owner had clocked her about an hour before, but when she hadn't moved he assumed she was a teen runaway or homeless person. When he returned down the pier for the last time, he brought with him a burger and fries for the girl, and as he came level with her, he passed them over without a word.

She looked up at him questioningly, and seeing nothing but a warm kind smile she followed him to the boat as he finished his preparations. She consumed the burger in a flurry of mouthfuls barely noticing the smirk from the boat's owner. When she finished she wiped her greasy hands on the jumper, and then ran a skeletal white hand over the polished nameplate of the boat.

"Shannon?" she asked, her soft Irish lilt elongating the middle vowel "You a fan of Dublin's fair city?"

He smirked "My wife's name" he told her then in a quieter voice "she was Irish Catholic"

"She died?" then when he nodded "I'm sorry"

"It was a long time ago" he swallowed "You Irish?"

"Was" she smiled "Where you going?"

"Mexico" he shrugged again

"Can I come?"


	2. Grab your gear

"Why does he always go to Mexico?" Tony asked the room in general, throwing a small soft basketball at Ziva "There are so many other places in the world, but it's like he's drawn to Mexico."

"He's taking a replacement boat to his God daughter" McGee reminded the senior agent for the fourth time that morning "After Abby trashed the last one"

"It was a crime scene" Ziva reminded McGee.

"She took a chainsaw to it!"

"Anyway" Tony smirked remembering poor Abby's distraught face when Gibb's had carefully explained he couldn't reassemble a chain sawed boat, "how did you spend your Labour Day then Agent David?"

"I went for a run, watched TV…"

Tony laughed "Exciting" Ziva glared at him, but he ignored her "What about you Mc-Probie, you spent the day in Eldor, or Mordor, or wherever?"

"Erm, no actually" McGee looked smug "I had a date"

Ziva and Tony looked at him "Spill Timmy!"

McGee opened his mouth to speak but was interrupted by the phone.

Tony grabbed it "MCRT, Very Special Agent Tony Dinozzo" there was then a one sided conversation while Tony hummed and scribbled on a pad. "Thanks" he said before slamming the phone down. "Grab your things my Probies, we have a dead Marine at Forest Side."


	3. A small boat on the Potomac

"Are we still on the Potomac Mr Gibbs?" The girl, Kim, asked tracing her finger on along the nautical map, stripped of her heavy clothes and in shorts and a t-shirt she looked less like a teenager, her long red hair fell passed her shoulders highlighting her skeletal frame.

"Nope" he looked up and smiled at her confused face, he stood beside her on the gently rolling deck and placed her fingers on the 38 degree, "that's where we crossed over, this is Chesapeake Bay".

She nodded "I don't know the waterways here" she said quietly.

Gibb's nodded "You know about boats though" he commented as she deftly secured a sheet he through at her.

"My Dad was a sailor" she smiled "In Ireland"

Gibb's had taken the girl with him on a whim, she wasn't armed, she just looked lost, and he could empathise with that. She was beautiful, long red hair, pale skin, huge green eyes, and in the last 24 hours had proved herself a capable sailor, whatever trouble the girl was in Gibb's was more than happy to help her out, if she was willing to talk to him.

"How did you end up here?" Gibbs asked stretching his legs out relaxing into the gentle sailing conditions.

"Potomac River" she smiled widely "Small boat called Shannon"

"Seriously?" Gibbs looked at her "You're a long way from home?"

"I came to DC when I was 14 with my Mum and Step-Dad" she shrugged "He was a US Marine"

"Your Dad died?" Gibbs asked

"Drowned" she smiled "Whilst sailing"

"Your Mum and Stepfather?" Gibbs asked "Won't they be worried about you?"

She looked haunted "I haven't seen them in 15 years"

Gibb's looked at the girl again, she looked about 12, but he thought she must be about 30 years old. He rubbed his hand through his hair "I'm getting old" he said out loud.

She laughed the moment was broken and she was smiling widely again "Not at all" she went and sat beside him took his hand and rested her head on his shoulder, "not at all."


	4. The body

Ducky and Palmer arrived at the small Bungalow to find the MRCT van parked badly on the lawn, the Sedan parked behind. Ziva and McGee stood sentry by the front door, whilst Tony leant on the wall of the house talking to a young female MP.

"Bodies in there Doctor Mallard" McGee told the ME, gesturing inside the police tape festooned bungalow. They walked through the wide front porch and straight into a wooden floored living room. Lying in the centre of the room was a man in his mid-40's. He was lying on his stomach a large head wound opened the back of his skull.

"Master Gunnery Sergeant Michael O'Rourke" Ziva read from her sheet "Lives here with his wife Margaret, she's missing, they've lived here for 15 years."

"Where's he work?" Tony asked coming through the door

"Marine Barracks" Ziva said rifling through her sheet, "he works with recruits?"

"Any known enemies?"

"Nope" Ziva looked up from her note again "Erm?"

"What is it Spare Probie?" Tony asked

"The only odd thing in his records" she looked questioningly at the sheet "15 years ago his stepdaughter vanished from this house."

"Ever find her?" McGee asked walking through the door at that moment.

"Not from the looks of it." Ziva confirmed.


	5. White Squall

"KIM!" Gibbs shouted kicking the cabin door with his foot, whilst wrestling a sheet down in the rough wind.

"Coming Gibbs!" the girl shouted wiping sleep from her eyes and pulling on her coat whilst being tossed by the open sea. "You could have called me earlier?" she laughed opening the door and being hit in the face with a wash of foam.

"You needed to sleep" Gibbs laughed, passing her a safety line before returning to the wheel.

"This wasn't on the weather forecast" Kim looked up at the dark clouds

"Nope"

"How long has it been going on?"

"10mins, it's a white squall"

"Do we run for home, or ride it?"

Gibbs turned to her with a sparkle of eyes and a smirk "Never run from anything in my life"


	6. What Would Gibbs Do?

"WWGD" Tony whispered to himself as he walked into Ducky's lab.

"Oh Agent Dinozzo" The ME greeted him, "I was just about to call you"

"What have we got Ducky?" Tony asked, running a hand through his rain wet hair.

"Well first thing is Sergeant O'Rourke didn't die of his head injury" Tony looked at the open crater in the corpses head.

"Really?"

"Oh yes, in fact we suspect he wasn't murdered at all."

"The head injury?"

"Post mortem" Ducky picked up a pad and read his notes "In fact the preliminary cause of death appears to be Myocardial infarction."

"Heart attack?"

"Indeed", Ducky swallowed "he was already dead when someone went to town on his head with the classic blunt instrument."

"And wrecked his kitchen, but why?" Tony asked

"Well that is of course for you to find out" Ducky told him as Tony stalked out "but Tony?"

"Yeah?"

"Have you found his wife yet?"


	7. Missing?

"Hey there Mcprobiess, have you found the missing wife yet?" Tony asked walking up to the younger agent's desk

"I'm working on it Tony" McGee snapped "her phone is at the house, I've put out a BOLO for her."

"Ziva?" Tony turned to the other agent

"Margaret O'Rourke, originally from Dublin in Eire, her first Husband died 17 years ago, she met Sgt O'Rourke whilst on holiday with her daughter, and they moved to DC a year later."

"When did the daughter go missing?" McGee asked

"About 3 months later" Ziva clarified

"Damn!" Tony exclaimed

"That's, that's really soon isn't it?" McGee said quietly.

"Ziva you look into the daughter, McGee you keep on the wife"

"What are you doing Tony?" Ziva asked

"I'm…" he was interrupted by his phone ringing, after a short conversation he smiled "I'm going back to the crime scene".


	8. Basement

Tony stood in the basement of the house, the walls and floors were swimming with blood and filth, in the middle of the room stood a row of thin camp beds bolted to the floor, prison style furniture littered the room, the smell alone was making the Agent gag.

"Why the hell did we not find this before?" He asked the crime scene cleaners.

"Erm" the lead looked shamed faced "We didn't know there was a cellar, the door was behind a bookshelf in the guy's study"

"How did you find it?"

"Blood spatter coming from underneath it"

Tony grabbed his phone and dialled "McGee, I need you all back here."


	9. Abby's Lab

Several hours later Abby was dancing in the dark of her lab, the sun had set but the amount of forensic evidence from the O'Rourke basement indicated a long night ahead of her. Goth Metal Music blared from her speakers and lights flashed from her various scientific instruments. She was so engrossed she was oblivious as Tony entered her lab, until she spun round and squealed in shock.

"TONY!"

"Hey Abs, what you got?"

"A mess!" she told him beaming, she turned down the music and faced him. "I mean it Tony, what is it down there a torture chamber, it's like a bloodbath, except not a bath but like a shower, all mixed in, eurgh"

"Calm it Abb's"

"Yeah, sorry Tony, I've picked up 7 different DNA traces, I'm starting to profile them but it'll take some time."

"O'Rourke's?" Tony asked

"Yeah, and 6 other people, it's like he was some kind of serial killer Tony?"

"Yeah and here was me hoping with the boss away it'd all be plain sailing." As he finished speaking his phone rang "Yeah I'll be right there Ziva." He turned away from Abby who immediately turned her music back up and resumed dancing.


	10. Sig

In the twilight the little boat rocked gently in the breeze its pilot lights picking up white foam of its wake. Its two occupants we're reefing the sails for night sailing.

"She'll be easier to handle now" Gibbs told his companion, climbing back over the cabin rail and patting her on the shoulder. She flinched slightly and he looked concerned for a moment, till she turned to face him.

"Are you leaving me?" She asked smiling

"Got to sleep sometime!" he shrugged

"But" she started to stammer and stopped herself "you trust me?"

"Shouldn't I?"

"Well, I mean, you don't know me? I might wreck your boat?"

Gibbs laughed and planting a small kiss on her head "That would be very stupid of you, and I don't think your that. Your capable of sailing her, you've proved that." He shrugged again and then laughed at her white confused face. He disappeared into the cabin, and came out with his Sig. "You know how to shoot?" he asked her.

"No?" she shook her head, her eyes boring into the side arm he held "Do I need to?"

Gibbs smiled and handed her the gun, "you're running from something" he whispered, "if you need me you call me, but I want to know you can protect yourself if need be."

"Don't you want to know….?"

"You'll tell me, when you're ready." He took her hand where it held the gun, and placed his own around her; he raised the weapon in her hands and pointed it out into the darkened sea. "The sights at the top show you where to aim, you'll going to miss horribly but it's a good start." He whispered into her hair. He then showed her how to load the weapon and take the safety off.

She relaxed into his arms as he did this, closing her eyes and the seductive tempo of his voice; all of a sudden he dropped his hands and stepped away from her. "Where you going?" she asked turning.

"To bed" He shouted making her giggle as he ducked out of sight. After a few moments where she placed the gun carefully on the secure shelf above the deck hatch and stretched herself out a bit, he voice came from the interior, "you coming?"


	11. You Coming?

“You coming?” he asked her wondering briefly if he’d got the cue wrong from the bright fey girl who stood on his deck. He briefly looked at the V shaped bunk, he’d furnished it, never expecting to use it himself. He turned to see her carefully descending the steps, “you’ve fixed her heading?”  
She nodded, her eyes widened in the dark, and he saw her tremble slightly. He held his hand out and she took it, her palm was hot and damp and he kissed it. She smiled “Gibbs?”  
He stroked her hair, and kissed her lips, she closed her eyes, her hands hanging limply by her sides, he stepped back and watched her open her eyes in surprise and then smile. “Kim?” he asked “Are you OK?”  
“Yes” she breathed the word, he voice edged with the lust he’d heard from her a few moments ago.  
He bent his head to her, and kissed her deeply, surprised when she trembled at first, hesitant as his tongue swept across her lips and forced her mouth open. He opened his eyes to see she had hers closed again. Taking her hand he placed it on his right hip and used his left arm to pull her closer. He could feel her heart beat fluttering through her thin shirt, with her skeletal frame pressed against him, he ran a hand harder through her hair, she shuddered, but lifted her hands and stroked the slight stubble of his chin opening her eyes she caught his gaze. He broke the kiss and stripped of her shirt and his in a brief flurry of movements “there’s not a lot of room” he told her.  
She nodded pulling off her black sports bra, and undoing her cargo pants. She sat on the starboard internal bench where she’d been sleeping and removed her boat shoes and socks, rolling them up and placing them inside the shoes. Then standing and slipping her trousers and panties off. There was something utilitarian and practical about the way she did it. “Is that better?” she asked.  
He gave a short laugh, “very practical” he told her. Kicking off his own shoes and undoing his jeans he pulled her close again, kissing her shoulders, he whispered “put your arms round my neck” doing as she was told he spun her around so she sat on the edge of the bunk. He kissed her again, pushing her back onto the bed, she went entirely limp, and he rolled to one side tugging his jeans and boxers off he lay naked beside her.   
“If we get pulled by the coastguard, we’re in trouble” she teased, running her hand down his chest and hooking her left leg over hers so they were pushed close together. His body responded, and in a wave of lust he pushed her onto her back and fell onto her mouth gain hungrily. This time she moaned, to feel him respond pressed against her, she put her arms around him and arched her back towards him.  
“Patience” he whispered, climbing off her and reaching for his wallet.  
“Gibbs” she opened her eyes and looked confused, she watched him prepare himself, curious, and stifled a giggle.  
“Come here” he growled grabbing her leg and making her squeal with laughter. He wrapped his arms under her and pressed himself close again, this time she wrapped her legs round his back, trapping him, and then kissed him. This time she did the exploring running her tongue round his lips and teeth. He felt her relax and he took his cue from her body, pushing her hips up and forcing her legs wider he entered her. She moaned into his mouth, and dropped her head back.


	12. Basement Girl

"What have you got McProbies?" Tony asked his exhausted colleagues as he returned to the bull pen.

"Well nothing on Margaret O'Rourke, but we have found something on the daughter." Ziva explained

"The missing step-daughter?" Tony asked

"Maybe not so missing" McGee explained

"5 years ago a US Passport was applied for in the name of Kimberley O'Rourke, it was sent to Gunnery Sergeant O'Rourke's home address, and it was paid for using his credit card."

"But she wasn't an American citizen?" Tony stated

"But she is" Ziva said "13 years ago O'Rourke officially adopted Kimberley"

"But?"

"She's been missing for 15 years, yes" McGee interrupted.

"Elizabeth Fritzl?" Tony whispered

"Huh?" Ziva asked

"The girl who's Dad locked her in a basement for years, she raises a family, and one day they escape?"

"You think that's what we have here?" McGee asked

"Abby found 7 DNA traces in that basement, what are the chances at least one of those is Kimberley O'Rourke's?" Tony questioned He started to walk away again when McGee called out.

"We have something else"

"Go ahead Mcgoo?"

"Sergeant O'Rourke's debit card was used in a cash machine near a small Harbour near Fort Washington about an hour after Metro called in the body, the account was cleared."

"Take a pic down there McGee, see if they've got CCTV on that cash machine, and ask around."

"Picture?"

"Passport photo of Kimberley O'Rourke" he gestured at the face on the screen behind him. "Bright red hair, huge green eyes, been in a cellar for 15 years, she's bound to have stood out."


	13. Proper Sea

"You let me sleep!" Kim accused Gibbs as she climbed through the hatch onto the small deck shielding her eyes from the bright sun with her hand.

"You looked peaceful"

"I was supposed to be watching your back!"

"See this is why I've been married 4 times, you're shouting at me" he laughed pulling her up straight and planting a kiss on her lips.

"I'm not shouting" she laughed "Where are we?"

"About a mile off Virginia Beach"

"Proper sea!" she giggled

"Proper sea" he agreed "Talking of backs"

"You saw?"

"I saw" he nodded taking a swig of his coffee "that what you're running from?"

"Yeah" she shuffled her feet, as he nodded and drank his coffee "erm, Gibb's I.."

"Do I need to know?" he asked "Is there a psycho husband going to come after me?"

"No, NO, nothing like that!" she assured shrilly "I'm in trouble, but not like that…"

"You got a passport?"

"Yeah"

"You wanted by the police?"

"No"

"You willing to come with me to Mexico?"

"Yeah, of course"

"That's all I need to know."

She hugged him, "you're slightly wonderful, do you know that?" she told him.

His eyes crinkled as he smiled "You don't know me"

"I'd like to" she whispered into his arm.


	14. Fingerprints

Tony was sat at his desk, beaming smile on his face, today he was the boss. He loved playing the boss. His phone rang and stumbled slightly trying to grab it, looking round he realised nobody had seen.

"Very Special Agent Dinozzo"

"TONY" Abby's dulcet tones squealed from the receiver.

"What you got Ab's"

"Fingerprints from the crime scene kitchen, it's taken a while because the finger prints on file are really old, they come from a cold case, but Tony you'll never guess who they belong too?"

"Kimberley O'Rourke?"

"Oh" she sounded crestfallen "Yeah, well she was down on the report as Flanagan but yeah the missing daughter"

"Thanks Ab's" Tony smiled, closed case.


	15. To the harbour again

McGee and Ziva walked into the little harbour bar with the blown up picture. It was early in the day and the bar was empty, the little marina was full of boat lifts and trailers as people removed their boats from the water after the summer vacation, and they were aware of a sad feeling of closing down all around them. Already a slightly cooler air was coming up the Potomac.

"Hi" the guy behind the counter started, then clocked McGee's suit. "Cops?"

"NCIS" Ziva showed her ID as McGee fumbled with the picture.

"Have you seen this young woman?"

"Erm" the guy looked "What's she done?"

"Have you seen her?" Ziva asked

"You're Naval Cops?" the guy asked

"Yeah? Why?" McGee asked

The guy laughed "This girl, I have seen her?"

"When?" Ziva asked an edge of irritation to her voice.

"Erm, Monday, Labour day, I mean she isn't a girl you miss is she?" the guy wiped his mouth and laughed again.

"What's so funny?" McGee asked

"Well this girl, she comes in and buys some stuff, clothes and stuff and then she leaves with this guy" the store clerk laughed and looked out the window.

"A man? Could you describe him?"

"Well yeah" the clerk started searching in a drawer, "the guys been here a few times launching boats, he keeps a moor here, but that's what's amusing me"

"Why?"

"The guy, he's NCIS, Special Agent LJ Gibbs" the clerk passed over a photocopy of Gibb's ID used for securing the mooring booking.


	16. Going to see the Director

"So what's the connection between Gibbs and Kimberley O'Rourke?" Leon Vance asked Tony while he rubbed his hand over his brow. Leon looked forward to Gibbs annual leave, it was usually a quitter time, nobody tried to kill him or his team or his family, genuinely Gibbs team behaved, the FBI didn't complain. This year apparently it was going to be different.

"None that we can find?" Tony admitted.

"So you're saying Agent Gibbs randomly picked a girl up and took her to Mexico?" Leon asked

"What can I say?" Tony laughed "The boss is a player."

"Agent Dinozzo"

"Sorry Director" he smiled and recomposed himself "We've got CCTV of the area, she turned up, cleared out her step dad's bank account hung about watching Gibbs, they got talking, he bought her a burger, they went off together."

"He bought her a….? "

"She is a red head"

"Right, have you contacted the Coast Guard?" The Director asked ignoring the comment.

"Well actually we're hoping to utilise Gibb's rule number 3"

"Never believe what you're told?" Leon looked smug at knowing that

"Actually "Never be unreachable".


	17. Practical Rule 3

"Shannon, Shannon, Shannon, USS John C Stennis come in please." The radio buzzed to life.

"Gibbs?" Kim shouted into the cabin "Oh bugger" she whispered to herself.

"Shannon, Shannon, Shannon, USS John C Stennis come in please."

"USS John C Stennis, This is Shannon receiving you loud and clear 67"

"Afternoon Ma'am" the Stennis's Radio operator came through again "I have a connected call for Special Agent Gibbs from Special Agent Dinozzo."

"GIBBS!" she shouted again "erm OK, do you want to patch him through?" she said into the radio.

"Yes Ma'am" there was a few moments of static.

"HELLO BOSS" Tony's voice boomed from the radio.

"Hi?" Kim answered back "Is that Special Agent Dinozzo?"

"Oh, hi" Tony looked around MTAC at the other confused faces "Is that Kimberley O'Rourke?"

"Flanagan!" she yelped

"Is that what it says in your passport, Kim?"

"Leave her alone Dinozzo, what do you want?" Gibbs took the radio from her.

"Boss, is everything OK?"

"Yep" his voice was tinged with irritation

"Boss, can we speak in private?"

"20ft boat Dinozzo."

"Yeah, erm, Miss O'Rourke, we want to question her as part of an on-going investigation." Tony spat out as fast as he could, involuntarily ducking expecting a head slap that wouldn't be coming.

"Oh God" Kim yelped, and Gibbs turned his head and glared at her, "My step-father he's trying to get me back isn't he? Gibbs help"

"Dinozzo?"

"Look Boss, we just want to talk to her, to you as well…"

"You're talking to me now Dinozzo."

"Yeah this isn't the kind of conversation you can have over a radio, I've got McGee and Ziva heading down to Norfolk, we know where you are, pull into Norfolk Naval base they'll be expecting you."

"Tony I'm not driving a car, it's not that easy"

"Boss please"

"OK" Gibbs closed his eyes and sighed, he flicked the radio off at its main switch and turned to Kim. "You gonna have to tell me what's going on."


	18. Tell Me

Letting out the sails, Gibb's swung the boat around while Kim soothed out a chart covering the Virginia coastline. He kept her in the corner of his eye, her smile had sunk again, and she was shivering slightly.

"You going to tell me?" Gibbs asked her.

"You won't make me go back?" she asked unable to keep the fear out of her voice.

"Come here" she walked across the deck to him, he opened his right arm and cuddled her to his chest, he kissed the top of her head "How old are you?" he asked

"29" she coughed

"Then nobody can make you go anywhere you don't want." He squeezed her "tell me" he whispered into her ear.

“I’m running from my Step Father” she swallowed hard, and stepped away from him, she perched on the Gunwale and drew her legs up, for a moment he thought she was going to tip backwards into the water, before she hooked her hand round a loose sheet to secure herself safely. “If he finds me, he’s going to kill me” she told him.   
“Why?”  
“I ran away, stole his wallet” she smirked “wrecked his kitchen”.   
Gibbs raised his eyebrows “You told me the police weren’t after you”  
“Michael won’t have called the police” she looked him in the eye “he wants me back, but he’ll come for me himself.” She thought for a moment “or he’ll get a Marine to find me”  
“Your Stepfather is a Marine?”  
“Master Gunnery Sergeant” he watched her grip tighten “he celebrated all night when he got that title”   
Gibbs put two and two together “The name on your back?” She nodded “He did that to you?” She nodded again “All of it?”  
“Most of it”  
“Your skin is burning” he told her.  
“Yes” she rubbed at her sunburn  
“Been a long time since you saw the sun, isn’t it?” He smiled gently, coming and sitting beside her.  
“15 years”  
Gibbs swallowed, it was a long time. “Where have you been?”  
“The cellar” she smiled “I didn’t even know there was a cellar before” she stopped  
“Before he locked you in it?” he asked, he blue eyes boring into her, “I’ve had similar cases, in the past, I’ve never met anyone whose survived 15 years.”  
“The others didn’t”  
“Others?” he took her hand “There were other girls with you?”  
She nodded “I was 14 when he took me, I guess he got bored with me? After about a year he brought Marianne down. Marianne was about the same age as me, she’d been taking Drivers Ed, and all she wanted to do was go back”   
“That makes her what, 16?” he asked  
“Yeah, I think”  
“What happened to her?”  
“He’d bring Marine recruits down to the cellar, he wanted them to practice on us” he shivered “I’d stopped fighting long before, but Marianne she’d fight every time he tied her down, one time she kicked him and it must of hurt because he grabbed her head and pushed her to the floor and”  
“He snapped her neck?” He remembered with starling clarity every time he’d used that move, the idea of using it on a trussed 16 year old made him cold.  
“He brought Carolyn after that, she was older than me. She wasn’t a virgin which amused him, he thought she’d teach me things”  
“What happened to Carolyn?”  
“She got sick, really sick” She thought hard “I thought he was going to leave us there alone, he’d done that before, just left for days, but he came back in the middle of the night and shot her in the head”  
“She was tied down?”  
“No, she, er we could move about the cellar, but we’d been asleep, he put the gun to her head and when she woke up, he pulled the trigger.”  
“Kim, you know you’re safe with me right?” she looked unsure “If he wanted to get to you, he’d have to go through me” he pulled her into a lose hug “and I’m hard to get through”.  
She smirked “After Carolyn there was Bernadette” she nodded to herself “she was younger than me, I think she was 18, when she came, although I’m not sure.”  
“He murdered her?”  
“She killed herself, she drank bleach and died in my arms, after Bernie there was Marina, she was brilliant and clever. He used to cut us, and I guess he cut her too hard or deep she bled to death.”  
“Are you OK?” he asked, letting her rest her head on his head  
She nodded and continued “Finally there was Natasha, she’d been a college student, she was going to be a Doctor. He made us drink stuff so we didn’t have babies and I don’t really know, but Natasha explained it was a poison. She said it would build up in our systems and kill us. I’d been in the cellar for 15 years so I didn’t believe her, but she was sure.”  
“What happened?”  
“She wouldn’t drink it, and then she got pregnant”   
Gibbs hissed “What did he do?”  
“He force fed her the drink, and then later she started bleeding, she bled and bled and I was screaming, so he tied me down.” Her voice came out ragged and she started to sob “She died in the dark, bleeding out and I didn’t do anything”.  
He looked at her frightened tear stained face “when was this?”  
“Sunday”  
“How did you get away?”  
“He normally got a Marine to help him, but I don’t know there wasn’t anyone available, so he made me do it. We’d carried her into the living room when this car pulled up, he tried to push me back into the cellar, but then the woman came in, and he went white. She was screaming and hitting him, so I ran”  
“You stole his wallet?”  
“When I’d lived there with my Mam he kept everything in a drawer in the kitchen. His wallet was there, and his passport and stuff. I was just going to take the wallet but there was an envelope with my name on it so I took that as well.”  
“You take anything else?”  
“No, I cleared his bank account though” she looked at him “I just wanted to get away”  
He smirked “Show me”  
She went below and grabbed the sail bag she’d brought with her, without a word she passed it to Gibbs. “This everything?” he asked opening it wide. There was some clothes, simple functional stuff, Gibbs smiled realising she hadn’t known what she was doing as the clothing was mostly black or pink. There was the envelope with her name on it, he opened it, passport, birth certificate, National Insurance information and an adoption record. “Kim do you know what this is?”  
“He adopted me didn’t he?”  
“Yeah?” he read it again, “but by the looks of it, after he’d taken you”.  
“Why?”  
“I have no idea” he shook his head, and continued to look through the bag, there was $500 in lose notes shoved at the bottom of the bag, along with the wallet, and finally something she hadn’t told him. “You took his M9” he said quietly.  
She nodded “and the clips”.  
“Why?”  
“It was in the drawer, and I wasn’t really thinking” she looked up into his eyes and saw the flash of doubt.  
“Kim, have you fired this?”  
“No!” she told him “I hadn’t a clue how to load it, I knew it was stupid but I thought, well actually I didn’t think.”  
He took the weapon and the clips and threw them overboard “That didn’t happen” he told her, then when she looked confused “you were raped and tortured, you escaped and took what you needed at most it’s a misdemeanour. You steel a Marines side arm, it becomes a massive deal.”  
“Agent Gibbs did you just destroy evidence for me?”  
“Nope” he smirked  
“Why do they want me to go to Norfolk?” she asked.  
“If I had to guess, I’d say they found Natasha’s body at the house of a Marine, your DNA and fingerprints all over it” she looked terrified   
“Your Agent thinks I killed Natasha?” she started to breath heavily again.  
“Calm down, all you need to do is tell the truth, keep it simple and logical and keep calm.” He told her stroking her hair.  
“I don’t want to go back”  
“You aren’t going back, listen to me Kim! You’re not going back” he held her shoulders and stood her up “The woman you saw, did you recognise her, did you get a good look?”  
“No” she shook her head “I didn’t see her other than a glimpse and then her voice, she shrieked and I started to run”.  
He nodded “Kim are you OK?” he asked  
“I’m fine” she told him  
“No really, are you in pain? He looked into her eyes “I have a rule about apologies, but I will if I need to” he stroked her hair “do I need to apologise?”  
“No, no not for earlier, or yesterday not at all” she hugged him “You want to know the last he touched me don’t you?” He nodded “Sunday, no Saturday morning” she clarified.  
He bit his tongue and squeezed his fists, “are there any recent wounds?” he asked trying to think like an investigator and not a jealous man, “something you haven’t shown me?”  
“Just bruises” she told him “He had other things on his mind” she walked around the boat in a dream, her movements natural but she wasn’t thinking about them, just carrying out what needed to be done.   
He watched her silently, till he saw her stare at the fast approaching Norfolk Naval base, then he saw her body language change as she started to panic “Kim” he said quietly, hoping his voice was soothing, or at least calming “whatever they ask you, whatever they say you can trust my team”.


	19. Interrogation Part 1

McGee walked into the interrogation room with Ziva behind him, the girl sat behind the metal table was the same shade of white as the stark walls. They’d taken her clothes for evidence and now she sat in an orange jumpsuit, her tiny skeletal frame swamped even in the smallest suit. She was clearly terrified, McGee was torn between his concern that their suspect was undergoing a mental breakdown, and his fear that if he made this girl cry, Gibbs was going to slaughter him.  
Behind the observation glass Gibbs held a paper coffee cup filled with what was distinctly not coffee. The Agent assigned to stay with him had already requested a backup, and they’d been at Norfolk less than an hour. He stalked the small room like a caged animal, he’d advised Kim to tell the truth, keep her answers short and simple and to try and keep calm. He had no worries about the first two instructions, but watching her darting eyes and drumming fingers he saw no matter how hard she tried, she couldn’t follow number three.  
Ziva sat down, while McGee stood with his back to the glass window. She opened the manila file on the desk in front of the trembling girl, pulling out the crime scene photo of Michael O’Rourke she passed it over to the girl. Gibbs watched as his lovers eyes widened in terror, his instinct was to march into the interview room and tell Ziva to scram, he fought it off and placed his head on the glass instead watching Kim.   
Kim for her turn stared at the face of Michael O’Rourke, handsome in his Marine uniform. “That is my stepfather” she said quietly, “his name is Michael O’Rourke” she looked up to where Gibbs told her he’d be standing “and for the last 15 years he has systematically raped and tortured me.”  
Gibbs smiled it was brave of her to say, and he knew it was hard for her to say it. He watched Ziva, his Ziva push the paper work across the desk towards her. “Master Gunnery Sergeant O’Rourke is dead” she told her.  
Gibbs had found this nugget of information out only moments before, but to Kim this was a complete shock. Unbeknownst to her this was the moment that her reactions either confirmed her as a suspect or as a victim. Gibbs knew Ziva was using a technique learnt from him, the cold reveal. The reaction of someone to that would almost always demonstrate prior knowledge of the death. Kim’s head snapped up, she looked straight past Ziva to the blank glass. For a brief moment Gibbs wondered if she could somehow see him, as she clearly said “I didn’t kill him”.


	20. Interrogation Part 2

Ziva had stopped the interrogation, and gone to contact Tony, McGee had gone to speak to Gibbs. “We need to get the Hospital to check her over” he told his boss. Gibbs nodded, that he’d expected. “Boss, they’ll want to do a rape kit” McGee warned.  
Gibbs closed his eyes looking for strength, “McGee if they do a rape test, it’s going to be me sat the other side of that desk”.  
McGee turned quickly “What?” then looked at Gibbs calm face “Oh right you mean, yeah well, yeah”  
Gibbs smirked “make arrangements for her to go to The Naval Hospital” he turned down the corridor.  
“Boss? Where you going?” McGee asked  
“To tell her”  
McGee started to explain that was a bad idea but Gibbs had already slipped into the interrogation room.  
“Gibbs!” Kim leapt up and hugged him, “you shouldn’t be here should you?”  
“No” he kissed her head “they’re going to take you to the Naval Hospital to get you checked over”  
“You said they would” she nodded to show she understood “can you come with me?”  
“You want me too?” he asked  
“Please” she swallowed hard “Michael’s dead, I know you know, but I had to say it” she looked up “I’m not sure how I’m supposed to feel?”   
“That’s understandable”  
“Am I relieved? Scared you’re going to arrest me? Sad my step-fathers died?” she shivered “They call it Stockholm syndrome don’t they?”  
“You aren’t defending him, rejecting help, sobbing because of lost love” he cuddled her “I’d be surprised if you weren’t a bit screwed up”  
“I’ve made this really difficult for you haven’t I? I just wanted to escape, I didn’t realise I had to preserve evidence” she looked at her nails, broken and short, ran her hand through her hair “what will they want?”  
“The S.A.N.E. Nurse will take DNA swabs, photos of your injuries, she’ll fibre comb your hair, take a urine and blood samples, she’ll ask you about Michael, and about what happened any specifics you can remember. I’m going to ask she does an ultrasound and takes x-rays as well.” He looked into her eyes “My DNA will be all over you”  
“Will you get into trouble?”  
“Done nothing illegal”


	21. SANE

Kim sat in a hospital gown on the edge of the gurney, she’d been allowed to shower after the S.A.N.E had finished with her examination and tests. Gibbs stuck his head round the door “can I come in?”  
“You’ve seen me in less?” she laughed “Have they finished with me?”  
“Yeah, it’ll be a few hours before they get the blood and urine tests back, but they want you to go back to NCIS” in the stark bright hospital light he saw that her jaw was lightly bruised , he placed his hand under her chin and exposed it to more light. “Did I do that?” he asked quietly.  
“No” she felt her jaw “I don’t think so?” She looked at him curiously “is everything OK?”  
His teeth were set hard “I’ve been speaking to the nurse” he met her gaze, checking she understood, “you’re a mess, badly healed cuts, serious bruising, barely healed broken bones.” He hissed air through his teeth “are you in pain?”  
“No” she smiled “you didn’t hurt me, and I’m not in pain” she looked at him “I’m healthy right, I’m not” she hesitated “I’m not about to kark it am I?”  
“Yes, you aren’t in any danger”  
“But I have to go back to the interrogation?”  
“I’ll be there” he promised placing a kiss on her damp forehead, “you aren’t on your own anymore.”


	22. Interrogation Part 3

Ziva and McGee sat one side of the table in the Norfolk NCIS Interrogation room, Kim sat on the other. The room was smaller than those at the DC Naval Yard, and McGee felt cramped, also it smelt badly, and was dimly lit. He and Ziva were uncomfortable, Kim was petrified.

"I was 14, we'd been in America for about 6 months." Kim spoke in a reedy staccato voice " My Mum was unhappy with Michael, they'd been arguing a lot. One night, one night they'd been arguing and Michael came to my room. He took me into the cellar and he, he…"

Gibb's watched all this behind the one way glass, with two Norfolk NCIS agents, he'd heard it before. The first time he bit his lip and held his tongue, this time he punched the wall.

"Agent Gibbs?" The junior agent asked, "You shouldn't be here"

"EXCUSE ME AGENT?"

"erm, sorry Sir"

"DON'T CALL ME SIR!"

"Sorry Agent Gibbs"

Gibbs put his head on the glass "This is ridiculous" he whispered as McGee passed Kim a box of tissues.

"You've been in the cellar for 15 years?" Ziva asked, Kim nodded, "and you never tried to escape?"

"I, he would tie us up" Kim choked

"Us?" McGee asked.

"Michael would bring other girls down, sometimes they would get sick, then he'd replace them." She gasped out her words, her eyes darting from side to side "Can I see Gibbs?"

"Tell us what happened on Sunday?" Ziva asked her ignoring her request.

"Natasha died"

"Who was Natasha?" McGee asked

"My friend"

"She was in the basement with you?" Ziva asked, Kim nodded "How did she die?"

"He gave us drinks to stop us, so we didn't…..have babies" There was a low thumping from the single view glass which made McGee jump, and indicated Gibb's banging the glass again. "She got sick, and bled and I couldn't reach her and she died."

"You were tied up?" Ziva asked

"He thought I'd get in the way" Kim started sobbing.

"Go on?" McGee prompted "How did you get out of the cellar?"

"He needed help getting Natasha out of the basement, he used to get one of the men to help, but he didn't he made me help."

"Men?" Ziva asked

"He used to bring Marine recruits to the basement, he'd let them…, he'd have them…, but I don't know I haven't seen any of them for over a year, he let them practice on us before deployment. They were young, he didn't want them to die without…without a last lay" There was a loud thump again and she shifted uncomfortably, "While we were moving Natasha this woman pulled up in a car, she started screaming and Michael dropped Natasha, and they fought."

"They fought?" Ziva asked

"Yes, well she started hitting him and screaming"

"So what did you do?"

"When I lived upstairs, Michael he used to keep everything in this drawer in the kitchen, money and stuff, there was a bag on the kitchen door a shopping bag when we came through carrying Natasha, I grabbed it, and emptied the kitchen drawers. There were passports, there was a passport for me and cash and a wallet so I emptied it all into the shopping back and I ran out of the back door."

"That was brave?" McGee asked "He could have come back in at any time."

"I wasn't thinking"

"How did you know the pin?" Ziva asked

"It was in the wallet on a little piece of paper, it's in my sailing bag if you want to check, it's all in the sailing bag."


	23. Interrogation Part 4

"I think she's telling the truth" McGee told Tony over the computer connection "She's credible as the victim, on searching her belongings the Wallet was were she said it was, little piece of paper with the pin written on it…."

"She didn't recognise her own mother?" Ziva questioned

"15 years in the dark, a brief glimpse while scared, that's understandable" Tony told her.

"What about Gibbs?" Abby shrieked from behind Tony's shoulder

"Hey Abs" McGee waved

"Hey McGee, What about Gibbs?"

"We haven't interviewed him yet"

"Why not?" Tony asked

"Because it's Gibbs!" McGee exclaimed

"Where is he then?" Tony asked

"I'm right here Dinozzo" Gibb's told him, leaning on Ziva and gently pushing McGee off his chair "What you got?"

"Hey Gibbs!"

"Hey Abs"

"Hi Boss" Tony pulled the screen back towards him "How's the holiday?"

"Well it was going well until this"

"Yeah it was you Dog!" The look Gibbs gave him could have curdled milk, "Sorry boss, you're friends story seems to check out."

"Seems to?"

"Sorry, does, but she did steal the wallet and cleared the account so…"

"You're going to hold us on that?"

"Not you Boss" Another look that could curdle a goat "I mean if you wanted to…..but obviously not , obviously you're going to stay there until we've cleared her."

"Yep! You found the wife yet Dinozzo? Or the bodies?"

"Er no boss"

"Then do it Dinozzo!" He slammed his fist down on the table and stalked out the room.


	24. Cell 1

Kim sat on the cold metal bunk in the cell beside the interrogation room, they'd taken her clothes so she sat in a pair of blue naval tracksuit bottoms and an NCIS T-shirt that was too big for her. The door to the tiny cell opened and Gibb's walked in.

"Hey" he said quietly

"Thanks for the clothes" she looked at him "I didn't suit orange".

"You look good" Gibb's smiled at her, "I have a good supply of those shirts if you want…"

"I'm sorry, I'm so sorry"

"Never apologise, it's a sign of weakness, that's rule 6."

"Isn't it John Wayne? She wore a Yellow Ribbon?"

Gibbs laughed "Probably, I should introduce you to Dinozzo"

"So I can stay around?" She looked up hopefully. "I mean I did get you in trouble, but I think…"

"You didn't get me in trouble" he came and sat beside her on the bed and took her hand "and you did promise to come to Mexico with me." He smiled and pulled her close.

"Your friends are scary" she said "I mean McGee is sweet but Ziva is scary" Gibb's smiled "It's true!"

"You scared now?" Gibbs asked her

"Yeah" she nodded and put her head on his shoulder.

"You don't have to be, nobody's going to hurt you again, ever" Kim scuffed the floor with her feet as he squeezed her hand "I promise."

"Am I under arrest?"

"Nope"

"Can we go?"

"Not yet"

"Can you stay with me?"

"Try and stop me."


	25. Basement 2

Tony went to the Marine Barracks with Ned Dorneget, after questioning Michael O'Rourke's colleagues, they went and searched through his personal belongings.

"This is so cool!" Ned told Tony

"Really Nedlet?"

"Yeah I mean it's always you and McGee and Ziva and Gibbs, but today, it's me and you."

"Are you coming on to me?" The senior agent asked

"No, no it's just!"

"Zip it" Tony told him, "Have you found anything yet?"

"There's a receipt here with some numbers on the back? I can't make it out?"

Tony looked around "Bag it"

"You think it's important?"

"This is a man who writes his ATM pin on a piece of paper in his wallet, so yeah I think it's important."


	26. Jealousy

Abby stood beside her computer monitor glaring at the receipt on the screen.

"What you got Ab's?" Tony asked

"A receipt?" She snarked

"I was hoping for more" then he looked at her "What's wrong?"

"What's Gibb's girl like?"

"You jealous Abby?"

"NO! It's just…."

"He's had women before, he was married when we started working for him, Ab's"

"But we don't know anything about her, she's, she's been in a basement for 15 years, and you know what he's like and I don't want him getting hurt!"

"Oh Ab's" Tony gave her a brief hug "But the receipt?"

"It's for one of those lock up places is Alexandria, it was taken out 12 years ago. That's why the inks all faded, I would guess he's kept it because…"

"He's written his security code on the back of it" Tony shook his head "This guy had the memory of a sieve."


	27. Cell 2

Gibbs was dozing leant against the wall of the open cell, leaning back fully against him on the small cot Kim was fast asleep, with his arms wrapped around her. Footstep in the corridor woke him up but he didn't move he just opened his eyes slightly.

"What is it McGee?" he said quietly

"Hi, sorry boss" McGee whispered "Tony's on the line again, he wants to speak to you."

Gibb's sighed, took his coat off and used it to pillow Kim's head. "Stay with her McGee"

"Yes Boss, but…." He was stilled by a look "Yes Boss."

"What is it Dinozzo?" Gibbs barked at the screen

"Hi Boss!" Tony grinned "Well you're off the hook" Another look this one could kill Cleveland "Erm not that you were, and anyway it wasn't"

"What have you got?"

"O'Rourke had a lock up in Alexandria, it's, it's full of bodies, young female bodies it's, it's creepy boss."

"And?"

"In the middle of it Margaret O'Rourke."

"The wife? Dead?"

"Kimberley's Mum yeah, but she isn't dead, she's in Bethesda I mean she's properly mad, but she admits to smacking the Sergeant over the head after she found him with the body, and then she followed his Sat Nav to the lock up, and she's been there since Sunday."

"Nothing to do with Kim?"

"Nope"

"Did you tell her, her daughter was alive Dinozzo?"

"No Boss, look that's what I wanted to speak to you about….." He stopped talking as Gibbs walked away "where you going Boss?"

"Mexico!"


	28. Mexico Part 1

8 days later Gibbs sat on Mike Frank's porch, beer in hand watching Kim, Leila and Amirah running and playing on the beach. The toddler and her mother in matching bikini's, Kim with a man white shirt covering her thin bikinied frame.

"Pretty Girl Probie" Franks told him, gesturing at Kim with his beer bottle. "They going to prosecute her for anything?"

"nope"

"You told her the mothers alive?"

"nope"

"You going to?"

"nope"

"Jeez Probie, I hope she gets more conversation out of you" Gibbs laughed "You know you could stay here, get out of DC, it'd do you the world of good."

"Tried it, didn't like it"

"Yeah I know" Mike chortled "You know what you've taken on here?" He looked at Gibbs "she's gonna be a whole lot of messed up and with your track record with the ladies…"

"It's not like I'm marrying her Mike!"

"Yet…"


	29. Mexico Part 2

They were sitting on the porch in front of Mike's house, Leyla had gone to put Amira to bed, Mike was dozing in his chair and Gibbs and Kim were sitting cuddled together watching the ocean. The warm evening sun filled the beach with an orange glow, the sound of seabirds and waves lapping was soft and soothing. He kissed her shoulder where his head and hers were pressed close together. Suddenly she stiffened, and he followed her gaze to see the shadow of horses walking around the headland, and onto the beach.

"Just locals" Gibbs whispered into her ear "they do that most evenings if the weathers good, they won't harm you."

"Horses?" She smiled and turned in his arms, "I love horses!" she shrieked and clapped her hands

Gibbs smiled "That much hey?"

"Oh can I go and pet them?" she begged "I mean will they get offended?"

Gibbs laughed and pulling her up straight led her across the beach, on seeing him the horse riders waved companionably and turned to meet them.

"Gibbs" the older man on the first horse greeted him like a friend "you have moved back in with Mike?"

"Just a holiday Paulo" Gibbs laughed and petted the man's horse, "This is my friend Kim, she likes horses."

Kim smiled and then reaching up immediately nuzzled the horse, who nipped her hair affectionately. There were two other riders with Paulo who spurred their horses off down the beach at a gallop, leaving Paulo and two final horses who were saddled and tethered to his reins.

"Would you like to ride Moonlight, Miss Kim?" Paulo asked her gesturing at the black mixed breed mare tethered behind him, "She's got a lovely temperament, but she's a bit too slow for my girls now."

Kim looked up at him wide eyed, and then to Gibbs for assurance "Really? Please if I may?"

Gibbs shrugged, and Paulo undid the tether passing her the Moonlights reins.

"Hey darlin'" Kim soothed the mare who had skittered slightly, the horse blew and then settled her muzzle onto Kim's shoulder while Kim petted her nose. "You're grand you are" Kim whispered, running her hand down the mare's neck and flank, whispering and cushing nonsense as she did so.

Gibbs was about to ask if she needed help mounting, when Kim stepped up and mounted the horse perfectly. The Irish girl gave the black mare a few seconds to adjust to her slight weight, then she took the reins between her hands, and squeezed with her knees, Moonlight took to faltering steps forward, before Kim leant slightly forward and the mare went from fast trot to gallop in seconds.

Kim's hair flew behind her, the salty air and the warm sun, the horse between her legs, she was a little girl again, riding as if there was nothing to fear, running as if without a care, she laughed and whooped with joy.

Gibbs watched her entranced forgetting for a moment that Paulo was still mounted behind him.

"If you want to catch her, you're gonna have to borrow my horse" Paulo laughed gesturing at the Stallion behind him.

"Two spare horses?" Gibbs asked "Mike?"

"Mentioned you had a girl with you, Leyla told him she needed to come out of her shell." Paulo told him "You should come back here Gibbs, it's a better life" Gibbs took the reins from Paulo and mounted the stallion. He smiled at his friend before galloping off after Kim.

Gibbs hadn't caught up with her, till she and Moonlight started plunging in and out of the water, then in the wet trailing moment as they lurched out of the sea for the fifth time he was casually trotting by the place they emerged. "So you like horses then?" he asked her.

"I've been riding since before I could walk" she told him "watch!" she dropped the reins, knelt up in the saddle, stood up and spread her arms, while Moonlight stood still and passive. She smiled happily, before sitting back into the saddle again, "I've not seen a horse since I came to the States" she said sadly, and then looking across at him "You ride?"

"I ride" he confirmed laughing "Paulo says you can go up to his finca tomorrow if you like, I think he likes you"

"My Dad bought me a Palomino called Eurydice for my eleventh birthday" Kim told him "I loved him, my cousin Danny got him when we moved"

Gibbs looked across "You have an extended family?"

"I'm an Irish Catholic, of course" she stopped suddenly "They all think I'm dead don't they?"

"You want to contact them?" he asked

"What do I say?" she shrugged "My Gran, my aunts, my cousins? They might be dead!"

"We can find out, you don't have to contact them, but I'm sure they'd like to know you're safe."

"Am I safe?" She asked

"Do you feel safe?" he looked her in the eyes "It's OK if you don't, but you will always be safe with me" he told her, reaching over and grabbing her hand "I won't let anyone hurt you"

"It's never going to be over is it? I'll always look over my shoulder won't I?"

"I don't know, there are people you can talk too, good people who will help you, and you can always talk to me?"

"Gibbs" she smiled

"Call me Jethro, Kim, if you want."

"Jethro?"

"It's my name"

"But everyone calls you Gibbs"

"Not everyone, and you don't have too"

"Jethro" she smiled then laughed then kicked her heels "Catch me if you can, JETHRO!"

He shook his head and laughed, before chasing after her.


	30. Mexico Part 3

Later in the evening, Kim lay on Gibbs naked chest in Mike's spare room, still referred to as Gibbs room by the family, even after Leyla and Amira moved in. "Jethro?" she asked

"Hmm?"

"They all want you to move back to Mexico"

"Hmm"

"Why?"

Gibbs laughed "I build things"

"Like the boat?" she asked

"Among other things, I retired a few years ago, I rebuilt Mikes roof, did some bits for Paulo, it's what counts here"

"When you retired from the Marines?"

"No, I resigned from NCIS"

"Why?"

"Long story" he kissed her, silencing her for a moment.

After a few moments of quiet she turned to face him again "but you didn't want to stay here?"

"I did" Gibbs told her "but something's are more important"

"Your team?" she snuggled into him "There's Ziva, and Timothy and DiNozzo?"

"Yep" he smiled as she carefully dragged these names she'd heard whilst under duress from her memory, "There's also Abby, you'll like her, and Ducky"

She giggled "Ducky?"

"Dr Donald "Ducky" Mallard, he's Scottish."

"You said I'd like Abby"

"Abb's? Yeah"

"So I get to meet her?"

"If you want?"

"So I can come back to DC with you?"

Gibbs looked at her, it hadn't occurred to him that she wouldn't return to DC with him, "I wasn't planning on leaving you here?"

"Oh" she looked confused "erm it might be a little late for this but, I've never been in this situation before?"

He sighed and pulled her close "I know"

"I mean, I'm no virgin but…"

"I know" He kissed her head "You can say no" he told her.

"What?"

"To me" Gibbs swallowed "you can always tell me no, you don't have to do anything you don't want" he whispered into her hair "I'll always respect that." He could feel her stiffen and chill beside him.

"No?"

"No" he confirmed "anytime you feel uncomfortable" he told her gently.

She ran her hand down his chest and torso, and lower below his waist "even when?"

He closed his eyes, suppressing a moan "anytime".

"You know I didn't know anything before" she choked on a sob "before Michael"

"Kim" Gibbs interrupted

"Sorry" she said quickly returning to her ministrations and falling silent.

He took her hand and brought it up to his lips, kissing the back of it, he wrapped his spare hand around her and pulled her close to his side again "don't apologise, talk to me" he kissed her hair, "I want you to talk to me"

"It's the middle of the night"

"We don't have to get up in the morning"

"I don't know what to tell you?" she shuffled against him under the covers "Do you want me to tell you about the first time?"

"Do you want to?"

"Not really" he ran his hand through her hair, soothing her like he would a scared colt "He wouldn't always tie me up, he didn't need to, but sometimes he would anyway" he let her calm slightly "when he brought others down he'd put a bag over my head and tie me, only a few got to see my face, got to…" she grabbed his arm and squeezed.

He could feel her heart thumping "It's OK, you're safe and you don't have to continue"

"He sold me, he sold my body" she told him "he got paid so they could torture and rape me"

"I know" he kissed her

"And now I don't know any different"

"Yeah you do" he told her, he pulled her up and astride him, smiling as she grinned in the darkened room. She leant over and kissed him full on the lips, sighing as he caught her mouth and deepened the kiss, she wriggled her hips and moaned into his mouth, he broke the kiss and looked into her eyes "you remember what I said?"

"Yes" she smiled and rolled off him, pulling him gently so he lay on top of her, she closed her arms around his back, pulling him down further, as he wrapped his own arms under her. "Yes I do."


	31. Mexico Part 4

Gibbs was stood on the deck of the Shannon, securing the sea locker for its mooring. He looked up to see Kim running down the beach, waving. He waved back, and she dived into the sea, swimming out towards the boat, when she got to the aft, he helped her haul herself up and onto the deck.

"You OK?" he asked

"You left me sleeping?" she accused when he shrugged she continued "Do you ever sleep?"

He laughed and kissed her "Mike's gone to the Canteener, Leyla has taken Amira to a friend" he told her gauging her reaction. She thought for a moment, still held in his grasp, then she gasped and looked up.

"Because of last night? Were we that noisy?" She looked horrified

"Thin walls" he laughed "You are beautiful" he whispered kissing her again.

"Don't" she told him, he looked surprise but dropped his hands and stepped away from her. "Sorry" she looked down.

"Don't say sorry, is something wrong?"

"You'll get me pregnant" she told him, her eyes filling.

He didn't know what to say, he looked down at her, sighed and wrapped her into his arms. He sat down on the port side bench and sat her on his lap. "When I said I'd keep you safe, I meant it, when I told you I wouldn't do anything you didn't want, I meant it." He kissed her temple "you can trust me".

"But" she started to sob

"Tell me"

"Before he brought Marianne to the basement, there was just me, he came daily." She felt vomit rise in her throat but choked it down "mostly on his own, but sometimes he would come with others. I thought they had damaged me, I thought because what they did, together, hurt so much they must have broken me." She gripped his arm.

"But you were pregnant?"

"Michael realised when I got fat, he was angry at first, it was my fault." He gripped her tightly encouraging her to continue "I was stupid I asked for things for the baby, I didn't realise he wouldn't let me keep it. He punched me, a lot, and I thought I was dying. The baby died."

"I'm sorry" Gibbs sympathised

"Would your team have found his body?" She asked

Gibbs closed his eyes, he hadn't understood till then. "Possibly"

She nodded "If they do?"

"You'll know the moment I do."

"He started making me drink this stuff, and it never happened again" she shuddered "The lady at Norfolk, she said I was healthy though, so…"

Gibbs smiled, and then kissed her "That I know" he squeezed her again "I've kept you safe till now, when did you stop trusting me?"

"You kept me safe?"

"Jeez Kim"

"Sorry" she shuddered "I'm so sorry"

"Stop apologising, ask me the damn questions".

"Contraception doesn't always work" she blurted out, then giggled and covered her mouth.

"No" he smiled

"And we aren't married" she told him.

"Kim" he stroked her hair "we've known each other for 2 weeks"

"I know, I wasn't asking" she said quickly.

"Are you trying to ask what happens if we make a mistake?"

"Yes" she nodded sadly.

"That depends on you, you wouldn't be on your own though" After Shannon his other lovers had been mature women, this conversation highlighted Kim's practical innocence, and a moment of guilt passed through him. "Do you want to stop? I could find you somewhere safe to go?"

She looked scared "No, please let me stay with you."

"OK, but we don't have to…"

"No, it's not that, I like you, I really do."

"Then, you have to tell me what's scaring you?"

"Don't reject me" she sobbed "I don't know what I'd do if you rejected me"

"Look Kim, I told you last night, you can tell me anything, you can ask me anything, and if you say no, it will always mean no. I don't think you have anything to worry about, but I understand you're scared."

"You won't let me be alone?"

"Never"

She kissed him and relaxed into his arms as he kissed her back "I do like this" she told him.

"I'm glad" He laid her on the deck, removing her wet shorts and shirt, resting her head carefully in his arms.

"Jethro?" she looked up at him as he removed his weight from her and found a condom from the sail bag beside them.

"I promised, and I'm a man of my word" he told her kissing her, and settling back against her.


	32. Returning to the Bull Pen

The first Monday back after Mexico, Gibbs was surprised to enter the office and find Tony already at his desk. He smiled, and covered his shock a long flight followed by making Kim comfortable in his house had clearly taken a temporary toll on his omnipresence.

"Hey boss, how was Mexico?" Tony asked

Gibbs gave him a look that could curdle milk.

"Apart from, well, anyway welcome back"

"We got a case DiNozzo?" Gibbs asked gesturing to the three large files on the younger agent's desk.

"Er no, just erm, just finishing up these"

Gibbs nodded and realised they were the three cases linked by Kim. Gibbs put his gun away in its draw, and picked up his coffee. "I'm going to see Vance" he told Tony walking past his desk.

"Er boss?"

"What is it DiNozzo?"

Tony absentmindedly fingered the files "Your friend" he paused "from the basement?"

"Kim" Gibbs threw his hands out and gave him an infuriated look "What?"

"Do you have a phone number for her, or an address where she can be reached?" Tony asked "it's just I want to send this lot down for prosecution, but I have no contact details for her?"

Gibbs sighed theatrically and grabbing a piece of paper of Tony's desk scribbled on it, passing it to the younger man, "there" he said stalking off.

Tony read the address and then looked up, "boss?" he called as Gibbs started to climb the stairs.

"DiNozzo!"

"Boss, this is your address?"

Gibbs shook his head in disbelieve and continued up the stairs.

"Oh right" DiNozzo read the address again, and whispered to himself. Turning round he opened the files and started copying the details into the file.

On entering Vance's office Gibbs immeaditely checked they were alone, he wasn't stupid enough to believe Vance didn't have some kind of recording device in his office, but that didn't bother him. Idle gossip could become a problem.

"Gibbs, did you have a good holiday?" Vance asked

Gibbs came and stood in front of him "I want Kim treated as a Special Victim" he told the director.

"I've already spoken to your ex-wife regarding this" Vance told him, "she's expecting your call."

Gibbs looked surprise, jet lag he thought, or old age, "Ginger was willing to help?" he asked

"I explained the situation" Vance told him "where is Miss O'Rourke now?"

"At my house"

It was Vance's turn to look surprised "Tell me you haven't married her?"

Gibbs laughed "She has nowhere else to go"

"But she could go anywhere" Vance reminded him "I assume then you are intending this to be a permanent situation"

Gibbs laughed and turned to the wall "I don't know Leon, I've known her for a couple of weeks"

"So you haven't actually thought this out then?" He was amused to see the unflappable Gibbs at a loss, "I'll class her as dependent in your record, while you both work it out"

"Thank you Leon" Gibbs turned to leave

"She'll have a hard time adjusting" Vance told him "she'll need to talk to someone"

"Working on it Leon"

"A professional!" Vance warned, but Gibbs had already left the room.


	33. Self Defense Part 1

3 weeks after they'd returned from Mexico, Gibbs came home at 5 on a Friday evening, with no ongoing cases, and not being the team manning the tip line, a long weekend stretched in front of him. Opening the front door he was nearly balled over by the enthusiastic hug he received.

"Gibbs!" Kim squealed "You came home early?"

He kissed her and pushed her slightly away "have you by any chance missed me?"

"Yeah" she attempted to snuggle into him again, but he walked firmly away, he walked to the gun case and put away his Sig. She watched him from the doorway, "do you have to go to work tomorrow?" she asked

"Nope" he smiled "Weekend off"

"Are you going to start another project? Now you've finished my steps?" She asked waiting for him to take his coat and jacket off so she could hug him again.

"Actually I have something else on my mind" he turned and gave her a dirty look which made her giggle. He hung his coat on the pegs by the door and then gestured she could come closer, as she reached out for him, he closed a set of handcuffs onto her thin wrist, twisting her arm behind her, with one leg between hers he clamped her other wrist as well. She fought for a brief moment, till he put his head close to her ear, he kissed her neck just behind her carotid artery, where he could see her pulse thumping hard. "Remember you're safe" he whispered, feeling her relax he picked her up and fireman lifted her over his shoulder.

"Gibbs!" she kicked gently, as he walked to the steps, and shifting her slightly, started carrying her up them, "Jethro!" she tried as he carried her through the hallway and towards his bedroom. He didn't say a word as he deposited her on the bed, laying her on her front, ensuring she could breathe. He changed from formal trousers and shirt, to a loose chequered shirt and jeans, while on the bed she wriggled from her front, to her side using her legs, she twisted around till she faced him. "Am I going to have to stay like this all weekend?" she asked, finally making him turn to her.

"Well lesson one, you can pick yourself up and move around whilst in handcuffs" with his arms crossed comfortably he stood and watched her struggle so she sat up, "can you stand?" he asked. She shuffled to the edge of the bed, on unsteady legs pushed herself of the edge of the bed and arching her back for stability stood and faced him.

"Why?" she asked.

"I promised to keep you safe, the best way to do that is to ensure you can look after yourself" he told her "Do you know how to pick a set of handcuffs?" he asked her.

"I've seen it in films?" she told him "Can it be done?"

"Sadly, it's easy" he laughed "Maybe it's a good thing?"

He showed her how to twist a bobby pin into an S shape, and demonstrated how to pick the lock on his spare cuffs, then he handed another straight pin and asked her to do the same. "With my hands tied behind my back?" she asked.

"Well yes, there's very little point in learning to do it when they are on a desk is there?" He snarked. He sat and watched her struggle for a while, before stopping her "concentrate on the left hand cuff" he told her, she looked confused "you're right handed, so it will be easier to manipulate the left hand cuff, once that's open your hands are both free, and you can get rid of the right hand cuff later. After several minutes of concentrated wriggling there was a snap and the lock opened.

"Do you teach your agents this?" she asked him, stretching her arms out for the first time in about an hour.

"I hope they already have these skills when they come to me" he told her, "I taught Abby" he thought for a moment "I taught Shannon".

She nodded, and the made small yelp of triumph as the second cuff opened. She looked up at his amused smile "Do I get a reward?" she watched him for a moment, "you're going to cuff me again aren't you?"

He suddenly grabbed her, and planted a kiss on her forehead "Fight me off" he told her.

"What?"

"You know what I'm trying to do" she told her gesturing at the handcuffs, "You know how I did it before" he stepped back, giving her room to assess him, "try and stop me"

"Wait, Gibbs" she put her hands out to stop him "how?"

"Fight me" he told her, "I'll teach you how later, but I want to see what your instincts tell you".

The first time, Gibbs stepped forward, picked her up, through her on the bed, knelt behind her and cuffed her. The moment he laid his hands on her she'd gone completely limp, she didn't try and resist at all, just let him throw her down like a rag doll. He immediately opened the cuffs and pulled her into a loose embrace. "Gibbs" she sobbed.

"Yeah I didn't think about that did I?" he kissed her, and let her relax into his arms. "You have to learn to fight back" he told her.

"You'll hurt me" she told him, her eyes wide.

"No" he kissed her, "I won't" he stroked her hair, "trust me, I won't hurt you" He stood her up and faced her away from him "what went through your mind when I grabbed you" he asked, wrapping a gentle hand around her.

"I forced myself to go limp" she told him "It's easier that way, not to fight, not to cry, just to let it happen"

"Kim, I'm not him, I'm not going to hurt you, remember what I told you"

"I can always say no" she parroted

"Good girl" he kissed her "I'm not doing this to hurt you, or scare you, or force you to do something. We're here in the bedroom because it's spacious with a soft landing if necessary, do you understand?"

"Yes"

"Good" he kissed her neck again, letting her butterfly heart slow, "I'm going to put my arm around your neck, and tell you how to fight me off, it's not real, and I really won't hurt you" he told her placing her in a choke hold. She immediately went limp again, "no, listen to me" he told her sternly "it's me, and I won't hurt you, put your hands on my arm where it's holding you" she placed her hands slowly on his arm, "no underneath" she did that "now push up and away". She did so weakly at first it didn't have much effect on him, then he squeezed her slightly harder and her brain stepped out and adrenaline kicked in. She pushed up and away, digging her nails in, and the same time she stepped down hard on his foot where he held her. He was slightly shocked and loosened his grip at which point she kicked backwards into his knee and he dropped her completely.

She turned and looked at where he was sat on the bed "Oh God, did I hurt you?" she asked suddenly

He laughed, "No" he rubbed his knee, it would bruise but not badly "that was better than I was expecting, something come back from your Dad's films?"

"I think it was probably James Bond" she told him, sitting on the bed next to him.

"You did better than my friend Tobias" Gibbs told her.

"Really?"

"Yep, and he's an FBI agent".

She laughed and he kissed her "I'm not sure I like this" she told him.

"I need to know you can defend yourself" he looked at her seriously.

"Well, you know you did mention rewards" she told him

"We don't go in much for rewards in the corps" he whispered, kissing her again more urgently.

"Yeah, well at St Clodagh's we learnt a lot about rewards" she kissed him back, pushing him down on to the bed. "Sister Collette, said that all good deeds illicit rewards" she took off her top, and sat astride him, starting to undo his buttons "I suggested you plunder that Marine brain of yours for suitable rewards, whenever I do good."

"I'm not sure Sister Collette would approve" he told her, kissing her then pulling her down below him.

"Oh I don't know she liked that Andrews sisters song" she told him, giggling as he kissed the hollow of her throat.

He removed the rest of his shirt and through it on the floor, "Andrews sisters, what is it with girls thinking I know about The Andrews Sisters?"

He sat back on his heels, and she reached for his belt, "There were three little sisters, three little sisters, and each one barely in her teens" she sang, "one girl loved a soldier, one loved a sailor, and one loved a United States Marine".

He caught her lips with his and then reached forward yanking off her T-shirt bra. "Oorah" he whispered.

An hour later in wreck that had been Gibbs impeccable bedroom, Kim lay tucked into Gibbs side. "You know what we were saying about rewards?" she asked him.

"Hmm?"

"It should work both ways"

He laughed "yeah I think you've got that covered" he told her, kissing her shoulder where it was turned against him...

"No I mean, when you do something good, I'll reward you" she smiled "I've been thinking of what I could do for you….if…..you do something good for me"

He gave a short laugh "What do you want?" he asked cuddling her closer.

"Dinner" she sat up, "I want you to take me to dinner"

"OK" he looked confused, "now?"

"Yes" she said firmly, "I would like to go to dinner with you"

"Do you have anywhere in mind?"

"No" her eyes were shining with excitement, "I've never been out to dinner with a man, we've never been out to dinner, you don't have to go to work in the morning, please?"

He laughed "Have you been watching TV again?" Then looking at her face fall slightly "Come on then, put something nice on."

"What really?" she thought for a moment "I don't know what you mean by nice?"

"Well something that I will enjoy taking off" he growled.


	34. Date Night

They took a cab into the city, and then walked to the Italian Restaurant near the Navy Yard the MCRT liked to use. Gibbs wore a casual fawn suit, while Kim had warn the only dress she owned. It was black and mid length, on any other girl it would have been smart casual, something you'd wear to visit a friend, for Kim it could have been Chanel. Gibbs gave her his arm as they walked, and in the cool autumn air he felt quite contented. "Have you ever been on a date?" he asked her, normally she would ask questions so she was quite taken a back when he started the conversation.

"No" she said

"Not even when you were a kid in Ireland? No local boy took you to the cinema?" He asked genuinely shocked, even Kelly had been asked to the Park and the Fair by the little boys in her class.

She laughed "The closest Cinema was in the main town, and it only opened 3 days a week. It would show 1 film at a time, twice a day. 4pm and then again at 6.30, depending on the length of the film." She smiled "It smelt weird and it was really smoky. Dad took me twice, once to see "All Good Dogs Go to Heaven" and once to see "The Secret Garden". We went with four other families, and Dad hired a minibus to take us."

Gibbs nodded, she'd explained before that Ireland in the 80's and 90's was like the US in the 50's. When they got the restaurant, Gibbs greeted the owner, and they gave them a table outside looking over the River. With the chill air nobody else was sitting outside, but neither Kim not Gibbs was bothered. The waiter came and took their drink order, and left them with menus.

Kim read hers intently, when she looked up she blushed horrendously "I'm sorry, I have no idea what any of this is?" she told him "What will I like?"

"For tonight" he smiled at her worried face "I'll order for you"

"Thank you" she smirked "what a gentleman".

"You said you and your Dad watched films together?" he asked suddenly "Old Westerns?"

"Yeah, sometimes on TV mostly in the afternoons"

"Mostly?"

She laughed "There was man who came round, he hired videos out from the back of his car, he used to smoke green and his car always smelt herby and nice" Gibbs quirked his eyebrow, but her mind was off somewhere a lifetime before. "The problem was that nobody had a Video Player, we only had a TV 'cos my Granny McGee left us hers when she died."

"So how did you watch them?"

"St Clodaghs had one, it had been bought with a massive TV by one of the Governors" she demonstrated massive by throwing her hands out wither side of her. "We used to hire a video on a Friday Night, after the pubs closed, and then on Saturday morning the school hall would be full of Dad's and kids all waiting in turn to watch them".

Gibbs laughed "you're kidding me? How old are you again?" he shook his head "Sounds like Stillwater in the 70's".

"Hey, I watched the greatest films like that! Star Wars, She Wore a Yellow Ribbon, Sands of Iwo Jima, The Searchers, OH, Rio Bravo"

Gibbs ordered her Pasta Primavera and watched while she destroyed the plate in minutes. He'd made sure there was food in the house at all times, let her know she could cook and eat anything she wanted, but he had noticed she preferred to have permission to eat. Gibbs sipped is bourbon and picked at his own meal, his eyes darting always watching the others around them. After a while he looked down at her again.

"Did you want a drink?" he asked

"I have one?" she reminded him, gesturing at her sparkling water.

"No, I mean, a drink, drink?" he looked at her, weighing up what she was thinking, "A glass of wine?"

"Do you want me drunk?" she asked him.

"I wasn't suggesting that no" he told her, never breaking eye contact, "you never drink, is that because you don't know what to order, or you're scared of getting drunk?"

"Bit of both" she quirked her eyebrow and started to laugh.

"You remember you're safe, if you wanted to experiment, I'd look after you?"

"I know" she shrugged "I'm struggling somewhat Gibbs" she admitted.

"Struggling?"

"I'm nearly 30, I've been on a date, I've never been to High School, I've never driven a car, been to a proper cinema, never had a job" she looked up "I don't have friends, never been to an adult party, I've never even been 'out for a drink'"

He nodded, "The High School thing is easily rectified, the college near the house does high school diplomas for adults, and if you want I'll teach you to drive?"

"Really?"

"Of course" he thought for a moment "Abby always holds a Halloween Party, she always invites me, and I never go. She'd love for you to go, we can go for a drink anytime you want, although I warn you, I dislike cinemas."

"You are wonderful!" she told him.

The waiter came over and took their plates, asking if they wanted dessert.

"Do we want dessert?" Kim asked Gibbs.

"Well yes" he told her, "but I have to get you home first".


	35. Self Defense Part 2

Kim woke to find Gibbs looming over her, her eyes widened in terror, before he kissed her lightly on the nose. "Gibbs?" she asked.

"Ready to start again?" he asked

She assumed he meant sex and tried to reach forward to pull him close, only to find her arms pinned above her by his powerful hands "You want me to fight you?"

"Yes" she looked up at him.

"I'm naked" she told him.

He smirked "So am I?"

"There are nicer things we can do" she chided, struggling against his hands, she moved her knees up, between his legs and pushed "If I kick you'll I'll hurt you" she told him.

"I appreciate the thought" he let go of her hands, it would make an attacker let go, so it's good enough for me. He laughed as he rolled off her, "I'd appreciate it if you didn't gouge my eyes out either, but if you have your hands free combining the two is very affective"

"Gibbs? Who do you thinks going to attack me?" she asked

"I don't" he sat her on his lap and breathed in the scent of her hair, "My job is dangerous" he told her, "I wouldn't be doing it right if people weren't trying to kill me, sometimes, just sometimes, the people who are trying to hurt me, come after the people I love" He thought of Ari, and the usual bitterness came back.

"But I don't count?" she told him

He looked stunned for a moment, and turned her round so she stood naked and facing him. The trail of scars across her stomach were not as obvious as the ones on her back, but he could see where knives and cut her, and cigarettes had burned. He could see stretch marks decorating the delicate skin over her pelvis, and with an edge of guilt light blue bruises he'd caused the night before wrestling her round the bed. "Of course you count" he told her.

"But you don't love me" she told him "there's no point in anyone trying to hurt you, by coming after me?"

He didn't know what to say, how could she not understand, "you live with me, we're sleeping together" he told her "that's enough to put you in danger"

She nodded "I wasn't asking for your love" she told him suddenly, "If that's what you thought?"

He felt wounded, like Jenny when she'd told him she didn't love him, "Kim" he growled slightly.

"I like you, and I'm happy with you" she told him, kissing his lips, seemingly unaware that her words were barbed "but I don't expect you to love me".

Gibbs stood up, and walked away from her. "Bathroom" he said in answer to her unasked question.

She walked to the couple of drawers she kept her things in and pulled out a shirt and tracky bottoms, dressed she sat in front of the dresser and carefully brushed her hair. Pulling hard at the tangles so the pain would cover the anguish in her mind. She remembered the basement, she was unlovable, spoiled, and sullied. She fought tears that tried to come, and gasped hard to calm herself. She couldn't fall in love with Gibbs, he was still in love with his wife, there wasn't room for her, and she was nothing. She continued the mantra till her hair was straight and untangled, then when that no longer caused her pain, she reached into the draw below the dresser. Inside there was a picture of Shannon and Kelly, she stared at them, willing them to be alive, willing herself to be dead in their place. She mingled her pain with his own, explaining in her mind to Shannon that she didn't want to take her place, she would be happy to be Gibbs' painkiller and nothing more.

He watched her, staring at Shannon and Kelly, when she had first come home with him she'd asked to see pictures of them, this was his favourite. When he brought lovers home that picture was always hidden, Kim had wanted him to leave it out, but he couldn't. He couldn't take another woman to his bed with Shannon smiling down at him. She'd never brought it up again, but he'd found her staring at the picture, once or twice he'd heard her talk to it. "Kim?" he asked gently.

She jumped and put the picture down on the dresser, "I was just…" she started

"I know" he nodded, "she'd have liked you"

"I hope she does" she watched him dress "you don't mind me talking to them?"

"I do it"

"Yes, but it's not my place" she told him earnestly.

He shrugged to say he didn't mind "what do you talk to them about?"

"You" she walked over to him, and snuggled into his arms "I'd do anything for you" she told him.

He looked across the top of her head and met Shannon's eye "I know you would". He smiled and kissed her head.

They stood there for a few moments, before she shook loose and looked up at him "So what's next?"

"Erm" he thought for a moment "I'm going to show you how to break someone's nose".


	36. Halloween Part 1

Abby's apartment was too small for a proper Halloween party, so every year she utilised her Church's Community centre. Gibbs was regretting agreeing to come, he hadn't dressed up, wearing jeans and a checked shirt but Kim had and from the moment the cab had arrived she'd gone from panic that she looked ridiculous, to over buoyant excitement at going to a party. When they pulled up outside the mock-gothic exterior, festooned with pumpkin lights she gave a loud squeal, and hugged Gibbs.

Abby had decided that this year the MCRT theme would be cowboy themed, the idea amused her, and with the possibility of Gibbs actually turning up she wanted a theme he could fit into comfortably. There were people in all sorts of Halloween costumes milling around the front of the hall, but as Gibbs stepped out of the cab, he couldn't see one of his team. He took her arm and led her into the crowded room, she automatically squeezed his arm for comfort. He realised that she'd probably never been such a crowded room in her life.

He was tempted to ask if she wanted to leave, when he spotted Annie Oakley. Abby saw him and squealed nearly losing her cowboy hat in an attempt to run through a group of guests to get to him. "Gibbs, you came" she hugged him

"We came Abs" Gibbs kissed her cheek, Abby looked across at his companion and squealed again, she wrapped the smaller woman into a massive hug.

"OH you look amazing, where did you get that outfit?" Abby squeaked. Gibbs looked around, saw the bar and stalked out of the way of the two women.

Kim looked slightly distressed at his leaving, but Abby took her hand beaming widely, Kim smiled "Actually I made it myself." The week before Abby had phoned Gibbs house and told her the dress code for the MCRT, she'd had no hesitation in what she wanted to wear and had immediately got the bus to the nearest charity shop. Gibbs had left her a credit card for emergency use, and she classed this as an emergency.

She searched firstly for a choker, finding a black velvet ribbon. She put it to her thin neck and smiled, she would need to visit a haberdashers, and she went to the bridal area and carefully remembering the instructions on her new mobile phone sent Gibbs a text message. He phoned back a few minutes later.

"Hey Gibbs"

"You need something?"

"Guess what I'm doing?"

"Kim!" his temper obvious.

"Well I'm going to tell you anyway" she giggled "I'm trying on Wedding Dresses"

"WHAT!?"

"For Abby's party" she heard him breathe out in relief, "Anyway I've used your credit card to buy an outfit"

"Fine, is that why you phoned?"

"No, do you have a sewing machine?"

Kim had brought the velvet ribbon, a blue bridesmaid dress, 2m of yellow ribbon, and a large sew on gem. She had rushed home, and in the attic dug out Shannon's old sewing machine. When Gibbs had arrived home several hours later, it was to find his dining table covered in material and off cuts.

Now she was standing in that outfit, her hair curled on top of her head and tied with long yellow ribbons, her throat was ringed with black velvet a single white gem glistening against the hollow. She wore a long blue silk dress, cut off at the shoulders and shrunk for her thin frame. On her feet she wore her black combat boots.

"Let me guess" Abby asked "She wore a yellow ribbon?"

"It's my favourite film" Kim acknowledged "Are the others here?"

"Yeah" she nodded enthusiastically, "Palmer is over there in the Texan ten gallon hat, the tall blond girl in the jeans is his girlfriend Breena."

"Tony, Ziva, McGee?" Kim asked.

"McGee phoned me earlier to say he's driving the other two, they'll be here soon" She looked round conspiratorially "I have a question to ask you, my little Irish songbird"

"How d'ya know?" Kim asked

"Gibbs" they said together and started giggling.

Gibbs was grateful Abby had ensured the bar had Kentucky Bourbon, somehow the room full of younger people, Goths and his Agents was easier to handle with Bourbon in his system. He was downing his second when a familiar soft hand crept round his waist. "Having fun?" he asked his lover.

"Yeah, erm Gibbs?"

"What?" he snapped irritably, then with a turned to her and saw her face "Are you OK?"

"Yeah" she smiled and put her head on his shoulder, her ridiculous hairstyle making it hard for her to rest comfortably there.

"Do you want to go home?" he asked

"Gibbs, Abby asked me to do something and I don't know?"

"Was it get a tattoo?" Gibbs asked laughing "'cos I won't necessarily approve"

"No nothing like that" she kissed him and smiled "thank you, I know you're uncomfortable"

"Come here" he told her wrapping his arms around her and kissing her deeply. "You like the taste?" He asked

She giggled "Of you?"

"Of the bourbon?"

"This a drinking thing again?"

"It's a ticking things off your list while you're in a safe environment thing"

"My Grandpa used to distil Poitine" she told him, he looked at her confused "Potato Vodka" she told him.

"You liked it?" he asked

"We used to preserve soft fruit with it" she told him "all our fruit all winter tasted of it" she giggled "I probably spent most of my time at St Clodagh's wasted"

He laughed and kissed her, he waved the barman over "Vodka, neat" he ordered, it was passed over the bar.

"Gibbs?" she looked between him and the glass.

"Taste it" he ordered her smiling as she took the shot glass, and gulped the liquid it one go. "Woah!" he laughed "that wasn't what I meant"

"Buy me another then, and I promised I'll sip it"

He arched his eyebrows "OK?" he did as she asked, and passed the second glass over, watching her put it to her lips and sip.

"Yep" she said grimacing slightly "add a medlar and that's the taste of my packed lunches" She giggled

"What's a medlar?" He asked

"It's a fruit? Do you not have medlars over here?"

"Never even heard of them?"

"Oh!" She drained the glass "Oh! They're great you have to let them rot and then the sugars are released and then you eat them"

"Nice?" he ordered her another drink.

"My Gran used them for spells and stuff" she looked at his face, "Have I never told you my Granny was a hedgewitch? She believed the Virgin Herself filled the hedgerows of Eire with all 't fruits o'heaven." Gibbs laughed "What?"

"You're becoming really Irish" he told her.

"I am Irish!"

"Actually you're a US citizen" he reminded her, he kissed her "but your accent isn't normally this strong".

"That's good!" Abby came over and kissed Gibbs cheek "I need her to have wicked Irish accent!"

"Hey Abs" Kim kissed her.

"Oh Kim!" Abby squeaked "you're drunk!"

"No she's not" Gibbs told her, pulling Kim back to his lap "McGee arrived yet?"

"Yes" she clapped "Oh look, there" she pointed to the front door, where Tim, Tony and Ziva had just arrived.

Tony was dressed all in black, big hat and cowboy boots, the look was clearly ironic but looked well on the handsome Italian, Tim was dressed in check shirt and jeans, an edged leather jacket and cowboy boots setting him apart from a casual bar fly. Ziva looked amazing a wide Spanish dress, her hair in a high not with feathers, and high heel boots. Black and red, when she walked it flashed and every man stopped to look at her.

"Greetings Sheriff" Tony greeted Gibbs, tipping his hat.

"ZIVA!" Abby hugged the assassin enthusiastically, "how good do we look? We need a team photo!"

"Is Ducky here?" McGee asked

"Erm?" Abby started

"Yes Timothy" the older man told him coming up behind them, he was dressed in full Spaghetti Western gear, huge hat, poncho, cowboy boots.

"Hello Dr Mallard" Kim greeted, "you look grand!"

"Kimberley" he took her hand and kissed it "Is Jethro getting you drunk?"

"She isn't drunk!"

Abby ducked from her colleagues, and grabbed Jimmy and Breena dragging them over to the bar. "Right STAY HERE!" she yelled "ALL OF YOU" She came back a few moments later dragging a Young man in a skeleton suit carrying a camera. "This is my friend Reggie, he's gonna take some photos."

She pushed them along the bar, so they surrounded the bar stool Gibbs sat on. With Gibbs in the centre, Ducky stood in front of him. Ziva on one side Kim on the other. Tony stood beside Ziva, his arms around her. Behind Gibbs sitting on the bar was Abby, McGee sitting beside her. Beside Kim, his hand on the back of Gibbs chair was Jimmy, his arm around Breena pulling her into the shot. Just before the shot was taken, Abby placed a cowboy hat on Gibbs head.


	37. Halloween Part 2

Abby had mingled with her guests, Tony had flirted with the girls and Ziva had fought off various advances, while the rest of the MCRT stood at the bar sharing quips and tales. Despite appearances Gibbs enjoyed listening to them chatter, the plans for the future, the belief in a better life, it was easy to fall into their lives, whilst never talking about his own. Tonight he had the added bonus of a warm willing body held into his arms, the alcohol had taken its toll on her, and she was relaxed, chatting away about Ireland and her childhood. He'd seen her up to this point as reclusive and secretive as himself, it was interesting to see her as someone who'd had a happy childhood, who remembered her family without pain and guilt. What had happened to her wasn't her fault, she'd not done anything to feel guilty for, and when her brain was relaxed he was glad to know she wasn't completely screwed up.

"Gibbs?" she asked planting herself firmly on his lap "Am I drunk?"

He laughed "Don't tell the others, but yeah" he kissed her cheek.

She put her arms around him and kissed his lips, "I love you" she told him "I have done since" she kissed him again "forever".

Gibbs would have normally shrunk away from her and a declaration of love, but he realised with a smile she had no idea what she was saying "Kim, tell me something" he whispered into her ear, turning them slightly away from Palmer who was explaining in a Duckyish way his plans for travelling Europe. "Are you happy? With me, living with me, are you happy?"

She kissed him "Do you want to know something?" she asked him "I've been waiting for you for 15 years"

He was going to ask her to explain when the music stopped, he turned sharply his mind awake to danger, before he saw Abby walk onto the stage by the DJ.

"HEY EVERYONE" she squealed waving wildly "as you know every year I try and get you all to play with the Karaoke machine" There was a murmur of negative responses "yeah, I know. So this year I've gone for the more direct route. I give you all Ms Ziva David".

Ziva walked onto the stage she fixed the room with a bright smile, but Gibbs could see her eyes, it was a look of a cornered assassin. She took the microphone from Abby and closed her eyes. The DJ started a slow track and she started to sway to the music. Gibbs had heard his Agent sing before, he'd watched her dance, the haunting seductive melody reached a crescendo and she started to sing. Gibbs held Kim's hand, Ziva was very sad and very beautiful, and the things she couldn't wouldn't say were all mixed in with the emotion of the song. She was singing in French, and although he could follow the sentiment, the exact words were lost in prose. When she'd finished Tony went up to the stage, took her hand and led her away. He'd stared through the whole thing entranced, Gibbs had watched him out of the corner of his eye. While the crowd still clapped and cheered, Kim slipped out of Gibbs arms and walked towards Abby. He watched her, shook his head and smirked.

"Is she going to….?" Jimmy started to ask.

"Looks like it Palmer" Gibbs took his bourbon and swallowed it.

Abby grabbed the microphone again, "Now I've asked for something different with my next act" she giggled "please welcome, Miss Kim Flanagan, all the way from the Emerald Isle".

Gibbs licked his lips and smirked as he watched Kim, happily drunk acknowledge her country with a little bow. He expected Abby to have the music play, and give her a microphone, but after a hurried discussion, Abby lay the microphone down and the DJ killed the power to the stage. Kim stood vulnerable in the centre of the stage, lit now by ambient light alone. Gibbs and Kim breathed deeply at the same time, he caught her eye, and she smiled, he could see her sobering swiftly in front of him, so he gave her a slight nod.

She swallowed and then started to sing The fields of Athenry.


	38. The Fields of Athenry

The Fields of Athenry

By a lonely prison wall  
He heard a young girl calling  
Micheal they are taking you away  
For you stole Trevelyn's corn  
So the young might see the morn.  
Now a prison ship lies waiting in the bay.

Low lie the Fields of Athenry  
Where once we watched the small free birds fly.  
Our love was on the wing we had dreams and songs to sing  
It's so lonely 'round the Fields of Athenry.

By a lonely prison wall  
I heard a young man calling  
Nothing matters Mary when you're free,  
Against the Famine and the Crown  
I rebelled they ran me down  
Now you must raise our child with dignity.

Low lie the Fields of Athenry  
Where once we watched the small free birds fly.  
Our love was on the wing we had dreams and songs to sing  
It's so lonely 'round the Fields of Athenry.

By a lonely harbor wall  
I watched the last star falling  
As that prison ship sailed out against the sky  
Sure I'll wait and hope and pray  
For my love in Botany Bay  
It's so lonely 'round the Fields of Athenry.

Low lie the Fields of Athenry  
Where once we watched the small free birds fly.  
Our love was on the wing we had dreams and songs to sing  
It's so lonely 'round the Fields of Athenry.


	39. Crosswords

Kim made Gibbs dinner most evenings, knowing he would most likely not eat it, or even not come home, but it made her feel useful. He'd had some cookery cooks, and she discovered cookery shows on the TV which showed her mostly what to do. Her culinary experiments had mostly been simple meat and two veg fair, food that could be easily plated and refrigerated. On days when he actually came home in time to eat, he would sit one side of the table doing a crossword, and she would watch him avidly. After several weeks of this he watched her watching him.

"Why do you watch me?" he asked

"I like crosswords" she told him

"Then why don't you help?"

"I didn't know I was allowed?"

He shrugged and gestured she could come and sit beside him, he pushed the paper between them so she could read the clues. "I could always do with the help" he smiled, and continued eating reading the clues as he went, filling them in as they occurred to him.

"Antique" she said suddenly

"Which one?"

"25 across, It's possibly quaint and ultimately collectable, seven letters, A something, something, something, something, something, E."

He kissed her head and filled it in. He rubbed the bridge of his nose and readjusted his reading glasses. "What about 29 across?"

She read the clue and the letters, repulsive and unpleasant seven letters, "Obscene?" she read the clue again.

"That'll fit" He smiled "Did you think I'd be upset if you helped?"

"I've not done one since my Dad died" she told him "we used to do them with Mum, after dinner, it was nice"

"My Dad and I used to do them" Gibbs told her, "Then Shannon and I…"

"Is it too painful?" she asked quietly, "I don't have to…"

"No it's fine, it's a bit silly doing it on your own isn't it?"

"Who do you show off for?" They laughed together for a moment. "Can we have this?" she asked

"Have it?" He asked

"It's not sex, it's not sad, hell it's not passion or love or any of that crap, can we just do crosswords together without it being a big thing?"

"I think I'd like that" he told her

"Deal" she grabbed the pen "27 across Prickle".


	40. Driving Lessons

The bright yellow Hemi Kangarooed through the parking lot. Revving high, and then braking heavily. The lot was surrounded by green lawns and red leaved trees, behind the furthest row of autumnal fauna the decks of rows of a grey painted warship could be seen. The car changed up heavily with a clunk and a burst of blue smoke, the gears wheels screeched for a moment and the car shot forward 100ft before stop violently.

"Gently" Special Agent Leroy Gibbs cried for the umpteenth time that morning, "less pressure of the accelerator more on the clutch." He hissed as the car lurched again pitching him forward.

"Look, I preferred driving the truck, I wanted to drive the truck, and I don't see why I have to learn to drive a stick shift?" Kimberley Flanagan O'Rourke, Gibb's current lover complained giving the stick a vicious tug.

"Because it's a useful skill, and if you hit someone in this your less likely to kill them than the truck." Gibbs explained, putting her hand back onto the stick and holding it with his own.

"I'm in the car park of the Navy Yard, on a Sunday, who am I likely to hit?"

"You're not going on a road, till you've learnt not to hit anything in a big empty space!" He pushed her hand forward. "First" He pulled it back "Second" The car shot forward "Less revs, and look at the road"

"Gibbs!" the girl shrieked and looked upwards at the road, just in time to see the young man in the Navy uniform appear from the hedgerow to her left, she shrieked and took her hands off the wheel as Gibbs beside her grabbed the wheel and skidded the car to right. There was a shriek of tyres and a nasty thump.

The car came to a stalled halt, and Gibbs looked round at the shaking girl. "You OK?" he shouted, she nodded slowly. "Come on".

They got out of the car slowly, Gibbs walking round to the driver's side before Kim had managed to get further than opening her door. She stepped out and looked at him first, he was staring at the ground immediately behind the door, and she as she closed the door she took in his thoughtful look and pale face. "Gibbs?" She looked down; between them there was a very dead body.


	41. Bringing in the team

"Driving Lessons?" Ziva asked dumping her bag onto the desk. Sunday afternoon she'd been out jogging when the call had come in from Gibb's. "In the Navy Yard?"

"Apparently so" Tony confirmed, he wasn't wearing his usual designer suit, and instead was wearing chinos and a polo neck.

"Don't people normally learn to drive as teenagers?" Ziva asked

"Yeah, but this was boss and his psycho basement girl wasn't it, she didn't get chance to …."

"Dinozzo!" Gibbs came down the stairs coffee in hand

"Sorry boss" he looked up and saw a very, very pale Kimberley following Gibb's into the bull pen. He'd met her twice before once when she'd had charges officially dropped against her for theft, and once a couple of weeks later when Abby had thrown a Halloween party. "How you feeling?" he asked her.

"Better" she said, a weak smile splitting her lips. "Psycho basement girl?"

Gibbs laughed and slapped Tony round the head "What we got Dinozzo?"

"Body is that of Corpsman James Herbert, serving on the USS Reviere currently based at the Navy Yard after a fault was found in the computer systems during a training op."

"What was he doing crossing a closed car park?" Gibbs asked the room in general "Tim take Kim's statement, I'm going to see Ducky."

"OK boss" McGee said to Gibb's retreating back "Did he just call me Tim?" he asked the room.

"It's for my benefit" Kim told him, "He thinks I'll be able to provide a better witness statement if I think of you as a friend, rather than an investigator."

"Oh"

"So lead the way Timmy" she smiled at his worried face.


	42. Cause of Death

"Good afternoon Jethro" Ducky called as Gibbs walked into Autopsy.

"What you got Duck?"

"Well I did have Sunday lunch plans, a lovely Georgetown Bistro, some wonderful company, but alas…"

"The Corpsman?"

"Well you'll be pleased to know your young lady had nothing to do with our unfortunate friend's demise."

"C.O.D?"

"He'd been shot" Ducky walked over to the table and lifted the sheet over the body's chest, "2 identical shots in the heart."

"A double tap?"

"Exactly" Ducky walked back around the body and ran a finger under the bullet wound, "the first shot would have killed him instantly." Gibb's stiffened and the ME watched him closely "I know what you're thinking Jethro, but Corpsman Herbert had been dead for at least an hour when he hit the corner of your car."

"What?"

"Someone pushed the body into your path."


	43. So what happened?

"You were having an argument?" McGee asked gently, wishing he wasn't having this trip into Gibb's home life.

"Well its Gibbs, so I yelled and he looked disapproving, then he yelled and I yelled back a bit" Kim explained and then laughed.

"And at the moment of impact?" McGee asked.

"She was yelling at me" Gibb's came behind and informed his agent, "you OK?" he asked Kim.

"Yeah, are we done? Can we go home?" She asked him.

"McGee take her home" Gibb's pulled her up by her wrist and planted a kiss on her head.

"You not coming?" She asked

"Nope"

"Everything OK boss?" McGee asked

"Corpsman was murdered" Gibbs told him, still looking at Kim.

"Gibbs, Jethro I, it was" She stammered

"He was shot" Gibbs told her "Nothing to do with you"

"But the car?" She looked gobsmacked

"He was dead when you hit him" he looked over her head to McGee "take her home".

"Will do boss" McGee grabbed his bag, and offering Kim his arm they started towards the elevator.

"DON'T LET HER DRIVE!" Gibbs shouted at their backs.


	44. Back in the lab

In Abby's lab Tony was watching the Forensic scientist dancing in front of her computers. "If I there was anybody I wouldn't want to teach me to drive, it would be Gibbs." Abby told him, "I mean he takes 'drive it like you stole it to another level'"

"If I was teaching a chick to drive I wouldn't be doing it in my 1971 supped Hemi" Tony told her "I mean the chick's crazy hot and everything, but that car is….."

"That car is what Dinozzo?" Gibbs asked walking into the lab.

"A classic boss"

"What you got Abs?"

"The bullets that killed the Corpsman went through and through, but they left traces in the wounds, it's not exact but if you pushed me I'd say he was shot with a Naval M9."

"That puts you in the clear boss" Tony laughed, and Gibb's head slapped him.

"Can you trace it Abby?" Gibb's asked

"Not from this, but I compare these wounds to others in the system it might give us a clue" Gibb's looked at her "I'll go to it."

Gibb's gave Tony the look next and the agent shifted uncomfortably "Yeah boss I'm going to follow up with Herbert's CO, see if there's any skeletons in the closet" The stare continued "I'll erm, yeah go and do that now, bye boss." He hurried from the room.

Gibb's shook his head and smiled "Crazy hot?" he whispered under his breath.


	45. Intruder

McGee pulled up outside Gibb's house in the NCIS sedan, "Well here we are" he said pointlessly, they'd run out of things to say a few miles ago, due to Kim's lack of knowledge regarding computers or TV, and McGee's unwillingness to ask about any aspect of Gibb's private life.

"Well thanks for the lift Tim" Kim said uncomfortably "erm sorry about you having to work on a Sunday and everything." She got out of the car, and he came around to help her.

"I have a key and everything Tim" she said digging into her coat pocket for Gibb's spare key.

"Yeah, but I've got to see you in and safe, or the boss will kill me." He laughed "And you could make me a cup of coffee?"

"Trust me Tim, you don't want to drink the coffee I make." She opened the door to the cosy little house, and let Tim go in first as per Gibb's usual instructions.

"OK I need to use your bathroom, then I'll make you a cup" he looked at her sceptical face "I swear the way I make it, it'll be drinkable."

She laughed and flopped onto the sofa as McGee ran upstairs, for a moment she closed her eyes and felt the warm comfort of the overly stuffed sofa bed. Then she flicked them open again. This was stupid she was the hostess, she could make a cup of coffee that wouldn't strip polish from the cups. She'd seen other people make coffee, there was milk in it and less coffee grounds and more water she was sure.

Walking into the kitchen she took out 2 mugs from the hand crafted shelves. Gibb's being a selfish bastard had built his kitchen for his own height and use. She understood it had been done to piss off one of his wives, but she wasn't clear on which one, she just knew it had annoyed her so much, she'd made him build her a little step. She was climbing up to get the coffee when the front door opened.

"Tim?" she called, into the silence followed by "Gibb's?" There was still no answer so she took a boning knife from the block on the counter and crept down from the steps. She kept her breathing calm and crept towards the doorway. She heard someone's soft footsteps and breathing coming towards the kitchen. She had no idea what to do, she suddenly wished she could remember anything Gibb' had told her over the last couple of months. Strangely all that came to the fore was 'less revs, more clutch'. Her heart was thumping in her chest, and for a moment she was paralysed with fear. The man stepped into the kitchen. Too slim for McGee, too well dressed for Gibbs. "Who the hell are you?" she shrieked, the man turned fast, there was a moment of shock and confusion on his face before he raised his gun.

Suddenly a rather enjoyable weekend being thrown around Gibb's bedroom came back to her, she stepped into the man, kicked him in the groin and reached her hand up to break his nose. For a moment she forgot the knife she was carrying until she looked up and felt hot blood splashing down her arm.

"TIM!" she screamed at the top of her lungs "TIM!"

By the time the agent rushed into the kitchen weapon drawn, the man was dead on the floor with a boning knife sticking from his throat.


	46. Am I in trouble?

"Am I in trouble?" Kim asked Ziva as they sat on Gibb's bed. Downstairs the entire MCRT where keeping Gibb's from murdering Agent Fornell's FBI team.

"No" Ziva patted her uncomfortably, she like the rest of the team were uncomfortable around Gibb's mistress. It wasn't that the girl was unlikeable, it was just Gibb's relationships were always short and ended in disaster, and Gibb's was fanatical about keeping his private life private. "Gibb's is a federal Agent, the FBI investigates all crimes involving Federal Agents." Ziva explained.

"I didn't mean to kill him" Kim explained, waving a bloody hand.

"But you did" Gibb's told her from the doorway, both women turned and looked at him, his face was stern and his steal blue eyes bore into Kim.

"Gibb's….Jethro, I didn't mean too, I'm, oh God I…."

"Ziva leave!" Gibb's yelled, and pushed the younger agent out of the door.

"Jethro" Kim started to speak as he came and sat beside her, her eyes darted across his face searching for sympathy.

"You OK?" he asked quietly.

"I didn't mean to kill him, I just tried to do what you taught me."

"I know"

"And I've got nowhere to go if you want me to leave"

"I know"

"And Rule 9" she stuttered

"I know" he kissed her head.

"You're not angry with me?" she asked turning to him, and seeing him smile.

"Not with you, no, I'm quite proud."

"But"

"Just wanted rid of Ziva" He stroked a hair away from her face. "Are you going to be OK?" he asked again quietly into her ear.

She nodded sadly, she wanted to retch, but she settled for leaning heavily into Gibb's. "What was he after? You also said I was safe here, your house was safe."

"I know, it should be." He was close to apologising always a dangerous place to be, "you ever seen the guy before?" His voice was harsh again.

"Gibbs…I?" she shuddered.

"Seriously" he stood up and walked to the dresser, on the top was a sparkly black hairbrush, he picked it up and smirked, she'd stopped hiding her things away, it was a bad sign, he was becoming screwed. "I know this is hard, but do you remember him perhaps….from before?"

"He was a Marine?"


	47. Monday morning again

"Marine Private 1st Class Steven Edward Morten, based out of Quantico, returned from Kabul 8 weeks ago, currently reassigned to training." Ziva read to the bull ring on Monday morning.

"Where's Gibbs?" Director Leon Vance interrupted her.

"Erm" McGee started "we er…."

"The boss isn't here yet" Tony confirmed guiltily

"It's 10am?" Vance questioned

"And yesterday his girlfriend killed a man, in his house" Ziva reminded the Director.

"I am aware Agent David" The Director snapped, "So where is Gibb's?"

"Here Leon" Gibb's spoke from behind him, coffee in hand.

"Everything OK Boss?" McGee asked

"Yep" He didn't spare his agents a glance "You need a word with me Director?" He gestured vaguely at the stairs and the two men walked off together.

"I would currently do anything to be a fly on that wall" Tony expressed to the other Agents.

"I've looked the other way when it comes to your private life" Leon started slamming the case reports on to his desk, "but it's getting harder to ignore…."

"Not doing anything illegal Leon" Gibb's said quietly, swigging his coffee.

"Your girl has been implicated in three murders in the 12 weeks you've, known, her."

"Got anything to charge her with there?" Gibbs pointed at the manila file.

Vance shot his Agent a look, "she killed a Marine yesterday."

"He broke into the house and tried to kill her"

"And she stabbed him in the throat, 'by accident'." Vance rubbed the bridge of his nose "Did she know him?" Gibb's shifted uncomfortably, "I'll take that as a yes?"

"I wouldn't"

Leon sat heavily on his desk chair "You planning on marrying this one?"

"Leon!" Gibbs sighed "Are we done?"

"Where is she?" The Director asked

"Safe"

"You going to tell me any more than that?" He asked, but Gibb's was already walking out of the door.


	48. Stillwater

"You know it's nice to have someone to help out in the store" Jackson Gibb's told his sons lover as she helped him unpack boxes onto shelves. She giggled and passed him a box, "what did you do to make Leroy dump you down here?"

She looked round "I killed someone" she told him sadly.

He nodded, "figured it was going to be something like that, you OK?"

"Did Jethro tell you about me?" She asked him, "About how we met?"

"No" Jackson admitted "Didn't know a thing about you till you arrived last night."

She nodded, "I've never had a job before" she smiled

"Then this is going to be somewhat of an education then Young Lady." He passed her a pricing gun.


	49. What you got Abby?

"What you got Abby?" Gibbs asked walking into her lab.

"GIBBS!" she shrieked and hugged him "I'm so pleased to see you, Tim said you hadn't come in and I worried, and I thought."

"I'm fine Ab's" he told her hugging her back

"But, oh I haven't told you?"

"Told me what Ab's?"

"I put the bullet fragments from the Corpsman through the computer, I came up with blank"

"Then why am I here Ab's?"

"Because I was running tests on Steven Morden's side arm, you know because…"

"I know Ab's, go on."

"Yeah, well I fired it and…"

"Morden shot the Corpsman?"

"And then threw him under your car."

Gibb's turned quickly and ran towards the elevator.

"Gibbs!" Abby yelled "There's more"


	50. Margaret O'Rourke

"Margaret O'Rourke, that's Kim's mother?" Ziva asked Tony as they stood in front of the plasma screen in the bull ring.

"Yep, she was released from an Alexandria Mental Institution last week." Tony confirmed

"Does she know her daughters alive?"

"Apparently not." McGee told her, chewing on his pen "and Kim doesn't know her Mothers alive either."

"Gibb's can be a right bas…."

"What Dinozzo?" Gibb's came down the stair and barked.

"The Woman's clearly disturbed boss, it's possible she's targeting Kim without…."

"Knowing who she is?" Gibbs nodded, and rubbed his hand over his face.

"Morden's last phone call, was made outside your house a few moments before he was shot, to a phone registered to Margaret O'Rourke, boss" McGee reiterated "We've been through both phone records, she contacted him from her house at Forest Springs 2 days after her release."

"They let her go back to the house?" Gibbs asked

"Apparently" Tony nodded, "we think Morden was one of the Marines that…"

"You think Dinozzo?"

"Look, this would be much easier if we could talk to Kim." McGee told his boss momentarily assertive, before dropping his gaze in the face of Gibbs stare.

"She doesn't know anything McGee" Gibbs told him firmly.

"Then how did Morden find and target Kim?" McGee asked.

"Actually boss I think I've got something there." Tony shouted from the corner of the room.


	51. Good Lawyer?

Gibb's sat across from Director Vance his jaw was set rigid, as Leon read the update.

"You asked for anonymity on her behalf, but you didn't ask it for yourself?" Leon asked incredulously.

"Mrs O'Rourke wasn't held legally responsible for what happened to her daughter, didn't mean she wasn't." Gibbs told him levelly.

"So she knew the woman she held responsible for ruining her life was in a relationship with you, but not who the woman was." Leon sighed "This is a mess Gibbs. I don't even know how you managed this bull?"

"I know a good lawyer"

"You were married to one" Leon reminded him, "I thought she hated you?"

Gibbs smiled "Can we pick O'Rourke up?"

"This is circumstantial evidence, have you got anything else?"

"Leon, just because one of her Marines died, doesn't mean there isn't a black book of more."

"You worried for your safety Gibbs?

"Nope."


	52. Stillwater part 2

In The Stillwater General Store the payphone was ringing, Jackson was standing behind the counter explaining how the till worked to Kim. "You stay there and serve Betsy" he told the girl, "I'll just get the phone" The girl grinned widely and started entering the older woman's purchase prices into the old till.

"Hey Leroy" Jackson said picking up the phone "Yes everything's fine here, sure I'll put her on." He waved the girl over and she grabbed the phone.

"Hey Gibbs" she greeted excitedly "Can I get a job?" she followed up immediately. There was a short laugh at the other end of the phone.

"We can talk about it when you get home"

"Can I come home?" She asked looking round at Jackson

"Not yet, look listen to me, I think I may have been a bastard to you…"

"Gibbs?"

"Listen to me Kimberley!" Gibbs yelled

"Sorry Jethro" she yelped

"Don't apologise, just listen, your Mother is alive she's living in DC and she's trying to kill me." He lied slightly

"Ma?" She asked quietly "Does she know what happened?"

"Kim, I've known she's alive and I haven't told you, I thought I made it impossible for her to find you, I didn't." He swallowed

"Why?"

"Because, I wouldn't be doing this over the phone unless I had to, because all the time you were locked in her basement, through everything you went through, she was living with O'Rourke, she lived 10ft above you for 15 years, and you deserve better than that"

"What do you need from me?" she swallowed hard as 300 miles away he smiled.


	53. Am I a bastard?

Gibb's stood looking through the interrogation room glass, sat on the single chair facing the window Margaret O'Rourke stared back. He knew she couldn't see him, but there was something in her eyes that showed him she knew he was there. Ducky stood beside him observing them both with concerned eyes.

"Tell me Ducky"

"Would you like me to assure you that you are not a complete bastard, Jethro?"

Gibbs grimaced "would it be true?" he left no doubt that the question was rhetorical.

"I've read her file from the Alexandria Mental Institution, she seems to be entirely unable to grasp the depth of her husband's crime. Before your intervention she was informed that her husband was responsible for Kimberley's disappearance." Gibbs looked at him "No, no I know you're thinking they didn't actually inform her she was still alive, in fact they were hoping to force a mental connection between the girl she saw carrying Natasha Zacherenko's body, and her missing child."

"It clearly didn't work"

"No, instead she seems to have fixated that the girl she saw was responsible for her husband's death, and his crimes, the connection with you appears to have come from her lawyers access to the edited case files."

Gibbs sighed "3 months"

"Jethro may I make an observation?" Gibbs shrugged " Your romantic history is littered with disasters, your choice in women has for nearly as long as I've known you been a terrible joke. Your desire to stop yourself from receiving any further hurt, has led you to a place where your obsession with your own privacy repeatedly isolates the people you love."

"I don't love….."

"Jethro!" Ducky exclaimed "as you have just expressed you have known this girl for all of 12 weeks, I wouldn't expect you too"

"I did with her" Ducky nodded knowing full well who the 'her' was in this situation.

"What I am trying to say is, in this case you may have to break your own personal rule, and apologise."


	54. Reveal

Margaret O'Rourke still sat at the same table as Gibbs came into the interrogation room. He puts a cup of tea down in front of her, before placing his own coffee down opposite her and taking a seat. He watched her focus on him, and her eyes widen slightly, then he watched her jaw set. He'd seen that look before, he had three ex-wives who had all given him that look.

For a moment it looked like she would say something, then he noticed the tea cup. Not a plastic cup filled with machine made weak tea, but a china cup and saucer containing a creamy sweet smelling blend.

"It's Irish Breakfast Tea, Maggie" Gibbs told her "It's made with three sugars and full fat cream." He smiled.

"I don't understand" She looked confused "You're Agent Gibbs?"

"Yes" Gibbs confirmed quietly

"The girl, she and you?"

"Yes" he nodded "we are, drink the tea."

"I don't understand?" she looked around for the trap.

"Tell me about Sean, Maggie"

"Sean, what's he got to, are you trying to torture me?" Gibbs shook his head "Sean was my first husband. We we're neighbours in Dublin, and I married him just after my Eighteenth Birthday. He worked on the Irish Ferries Holyhead to Dun Laoghaire, he was an Engineer. He'd work all hours for weeks at a time, and then he'd have a couple of weeks off and they'd be out on their boat."

"He and Kimberley?"

"Yes, they were inseparable, they used to watch these old Westerns together, there wasn't a lot of time for me. Sean died at sea, there was a leak in the Engine room, I don't really understand how and he drowned."

"You came to the states?" Gibbs asked

"Kim, she wanted to be American since she was tiny" She laughed and sipped the tea "we got a big pay out from Sean's death in service and so I took her on holiday, California."

"And you met Michael O'Rourke?" Gibbs prompted.

"Kim was so excited that she was going to be American, but it all went wrong." She sipped the tea again gently her face had softened.

"Seoithín, seo hó, mo stór é, mo leanbh, Mo sheoid gan cealg, mo chuid gan tsaoil mhór" Gibbs sang gently

"What?" She looked at the tea and the Interrogator.

"Tell me about Kim, describe her to me Maggie."

"The greenest of eyes, the prettiest red hair, she was a minx though, a child through and through, as fey as they come but with this hot little temper. The nuns, Oh they would laugh and complain, and Sean would tell them she was an Angel, he was always her Angel." She gone into a trance of reverie talking about Kim, and Gibb's couldn't help but smile.

"Kimberley Aingeal" Gibbs said quietly

"Her confirmation name was Bernadette, she hoped, Sean hoped she'd see Visions" Maggie laughed, "She used to make me Irish Tea in the mornings" she drained the cup.

"I know"

Maggie looked up, "What?"

"I know, she told me exactly how you like your tea, how you'd sing "Seoithín, seo hó" to her when she was scared, I think she sings it better than I do." Gibbs fixed her with a glare.

"My Kimberley is dead" Maggie told him firmly

"She told me how her Da, would call you Maggie, she told me how you'd braid her hair just there" he gently touched her right temple, "braid it with a single yellow ribbon."

"Kim?" Maggie looked at him "You've seen my Aingeal?"

"You have as well" he whispered "12 weeks ago, at your house." He let that sink in.

"Kim?" She paled

"Long red hair, the prettiest of green eyes…." Gibbs whispered letting the image of a nearly naked girl carrying a body out of her house sink in, before he pushed a photo across the desk. It was a copy of a photo Leila had taken of himself and Kim in Mexico, he looked embarrassed, but she looked radiant, finally free.

Tony stood beside McGee staring down at Ziva's desk, "So she thinks her daughter is a stranger involved, so she blames the stranger for her husbands death. Come home finds a list of naughty little Marines, blackmails them into helping her take the girl out, finds the stranger is her daughter, creepy."

"This is sort of thing is uncommon, but not unheard of" Ziva commented

"You been watching Jerry Springer there Ziva?" Tony mocked her.

"What's Gibb's going to do?" McGee asked


	55. Stillwater part 3

The phone in the Stillwater store rang again, this time Kimberley ran straight to it. "Stillwater General Store" she answered as Jackson had instructed.

"Aingeal?"

"Ma?" Kim asked so shocked her throat felt like it was contracting.

"Darling girl, I'm so sorry, I didn't know" Maggie O'Rourke sobbed down the phone "My darling, darling girl"

"Ma? Where are you?"

"I'm with your friend Gibbs, I'm so sorry. He's explained everything."

"He said"

"He's explained he was trying to keep you safe, I should have kept you safe, I'm so sorry."

"Ma, I love you"

"I love you too Aingeal, I'm sorry"

"Kim?" Gibbs voice came over the line "Do you want to come home?"

"Jethro I…please" she smiled "Please can I come home?"


	56. 4am dread

Gibb's lay awake in the darkness of his bedroom, normally afterwards he'd take a shower, get dressed, go down to the basement. Tonight he'd lain there for a good hour, his life whirring round and around in his brain.

"Have you not got a project, Jethro?" the sleepy voice next to him complained and shifted uncomfortably at the edge of the bed.

He looked over and could see her shadowy outline under the sheet, lying on her side, her knees drawn up, her back towards him. He was an absolute bastard. "Come here Kim" he whispered.

"No please, I'm tired" she complained snuggling away from him.

He closed his eyes and rolled towards her, he put his right arm around her, pulling her into his lap. "Are you happy?" he whispered into her ear.

"Gibbs?" she wriggled in his arms trying to face him "are you?"

"I really like you" he whispered "but…"

"Jethro, it's OK, honestly it's alright" she kissed him and made him sigh "I'm not going anywhere, unless you want me too?"

"Kim, I'm an utter bastard, and I'll break your heart."

She looked up at him and laughed, a genuine heartfelt laugh, "Would you beat me? Would you tie me up and rape me? Would you make me lie naked in the cold and filth for weeks at a time? Will you carve obscenities into my back, burn me with cigarettes, hire my body out to your friends? Cheat on me?"

"No" he kissed her head "No, of course not."

"I know you like coming home to a warm house, I know you like coming home to someone, having someone to sit with, to make you dinner, I know you like the sex…"

"Stop" he cried out.

"I like you too, Jethro, you make me feel safe, you took me in and gave me a home, you made me safe, I'm happy with that if you are."

"There more in life than that" He told her firmly, "you deserve more than that."

"Don't you?"

"I've fallen in love, I've been in love its more than…"

"I don't mind being your human anti-depressant if that's what you need, but you make me laugh, you make me smile, and you are equally fulfilling that role for me." She kissed him full on the lips and pressed herself into him.

He groaned, his body responding as his mind still punished him. Tomorrow he'd wake beside her, he'd see her hair splayed across the pillow and he'd see Shannon, as he had with every one of the red headed parade of women that had passed through his bed in the last 20 years.


	57. Grace

It was dark, late at night and the room was lit by the streetlight outside, on the left hand bedside table, leaning against an old radio alarm clock was a wedding photo, a 6ft Tall Marine Lance Corporal, stood in front of a beautifully decorated Gospel Church, on his arm his dark eyed wife beamed at the camera. That side of the bed was empty, made neatly the pillow plumped, dark blue pyjamas placed reverently on the pillow.

On the other side of the bed, there was another photo this time of a small blond woman holding a caramel skinned female toddler, both laughing and waving at the camera. On this side of the bed, curled under the covers was the woman in the photo.

Somewhere in the house a child started to cry and fret, the blond woman stirred and stretched. She blinked at the sound, hoping the child would settle. After a few moments it was clear she wouldn't and the woman got out of bed. Finding slippers and wrapping a dressing gown around her she walked across the room towards the door. She was halfway there when the child's cries became louder and more urgent, followed by a crash of breaking glass.

She ran across the room out into the hallway where she found the little girls bedroom door wide open. Hitting the lights she viewed the room in horror, the crib was empty blankets where strewn across the floor towards the door.

"GRACE!" she screamed "GRACEY?" spinning her head back and forth hot tears splashed from her eyes, she ran back out onto the landing when she heard another clatter and crash downstairs followed by a sharp cry. She ran down the stairs and into the kitchen just in time to see a tiny pyjama'd foot be carried out of the smashed in kitchen door.


	58. Sorry Boss

In his basement, Special Agent Leroy Jethro Gibbs, was working on his latest project, a decorative rocking chair for his father. He'd had a few hours' sleep before waking to his demons, and deciding the only way to exorcise them was with work. He needed to be sober and at work for 7, which was why his next mug of bourbon would have to be his last for the night. He was sanding the grooves in the arm rest, when his phone rang. He looked up into the corner of the room, where a small pile of blankets on the easy chair moved fitfully and the girl underneath woke up. He smiled and grabbed the phone from beside him.

"Yeah Gibbs?" He answered the phone, whilst watching the girl extricate herself from her nest, "Do you know what time it is Dinozzo?"

"Sorry Boss" The yawning Agent on the other end of the line sleepily apologised, "we've got a missing Marine Dependent "

"Yeah?" It was 4am; Gibbs hoped there was more than that.

"She's 2 boss"

"OK I'm on my way." He listened while Tony gave him the address, and then looked across at girl who standing in pink pyjamas looked at him quizzically. He finished the call and smiled "You up for giving me a lift?"


	59. Arriving at the crime scene

At the Marine base housing the MCRT van was parked on road blocking the driveway to the house. McGee looked shattered but awake, Ziva who was taking the statement of the Blond woman, looked calm and well rested. Tony looked like someone had tortured him for hours before dumping him upside down into his crime scene uniform.

"Where is the boss man?" Tony complained, holding a can of cola to his head.

"It's early in the morning Tony" McGee counselled, "He'll be here."

They were interrupted by the sound of tyres screeching, and a 4.8L V8 truck being driven with too much rev. Tony looked up as Gibbs' GMC Sierra pulled onto the street, Gibbs in the passenger seat. "Oh I swear, I thought she passed her test?" Tony complained as the noise became deafening.

"She did" McGee clarified as the truck screeched to a halt millimetres from where the two agents stood. "Then Gibb's re-taught her"

They watched for a few moments as Gibbs placed a small kiss on her cheek, and slipped out of the passenger seat. As he walked away from the truck he put his hat on, "What we got Dinozzo?" he asked clapping the younger agent heavily on the back.

In the truck Kim waved cheerfully at McGee, before slamming it into Reverse and swinging it round with a terrifying turn of speed. "Er Boss?"

"She'll be fine McGee" Gibbs shouted over his shoulder. "She doesn't drink" he gritted his teeth against the cold, the bitterness and the alcohol draining from his system.


	60. Missing Grace

"Grace Samira Jackson, aged 2, her Father Marine Corporal Sam Jackson is currently serving in Afghanistan, Grace is currently living with her Father's second wife Mrs Jaime Jackson." Ziva explained to Gibb's quietly, as Mrs Jackson continued to sit on the porch steps.

"Where's her Mom?"

"Samira Jackson died after suffering a haemorrhage during Labour, Grace was born post mortem." Ziva whispered, "Mrs Jackson is currently undergoing the process of officially adopting Grace."

"There are signs of a Forced Entry in the kitchen Boss" McGee came and told them, "Tony's bagging and tagging, but we thought you might want to see."

"Why aren't you helping him McGee?" There was a sound of vicious barking, and Gibbs rolled his eyes.

"Ziva help Dinozzo, McGee make sure local PD has a BOLO"

"Sure Boss, but…" McGee started

"I'm going to speak to Mrs Jackson."


	61. Jaime

"How you holding up?" Gibbs asked Jaime Jackson sitting next to her on the porch steps.

"I guess I'm in shock" she told him "Who would do this?" She looked up as if suddenly seeing Gibbs for the first time.

He smiled "Special Agent Gibbs" he said kindly "I will find Grace."

Jaime nodded "I've got recent photo's ready, and her hair brush, and her toothbrush in the den. She was wearing a Hello Kitty pink onesie, she's had a snuffle all week, so her hair was in bunches to keep it out of her face…" she said quickly.

"You tell my team that?"

"Yes" She laughed "I watch a lot of police procedurals"

Gibbs nodded "Do you know of anyone with a grudge against you or your husband? Have you received any threats? Any odd phone calls?"

"No" she shook her head vigorously "I've been searching my mind, but I can't think, unless, do you think this has something to do with Sam's work?"

"Do you know if he's involved in anything that might explain this?"

"No" she scratched at her arms subconsciously "The first 24 hours are the most crucial in finding a missing child" she looked at her watch "You have 22 left to find Grace."


	62. Zucchini

"She's one cool courgette" Ziva told them as all 4 squeezed into the van.

"Cucumber, Ziva, Cool as a Cucumber" Tony explained "What the heck is a courgette?"

"It's a Zucchini Dinozzo" Gibbs explained from the driver's seat.

"Right boss, Stepmothers though, she's got to be our top suspect, get the tot out of the way, have Daddy all to herself."

"That's what you think Dinozzo?" Gibbs asked

"Well it makes sense doesn't it?" He looked round for support or confirmation "Isn't it?" there was nothing but stony silence, followed by Gibbs putting his foot down hard on the accelerator.


	63. Alive?

Tony walked white faced into Autopsy, opened the closest fridge and put his head into it.

"Everything OK Anthony?" Ducky called from the far end of the room.

"Usual Gibbs driving" Tony gasped "Just need to prove to myself I'm still alive."

Ducky chuckled, "I thought you had an arrangement where Jethro no longer drove the rest of you around, accept in the direst emergency?"

"Boss got a lift to the crime scene" Tony explained climbing onto a spare gurney "He didn't get one back"

"Young Kimberley dropped him off at a crime scene?" Ducky asked, walking over to Tony and placing a concerned hand on the younger man's forehead.

"Yeah, then drove off like the devil was behind her, or a hung over Gibbs which may have been worse." Tony sighed and swung himself up again.

"She probably had to go to work." Ducky told him levelly.

"She got herself a job? Good for her" Tony said genuinely nodding his head.

"A couple of friends of mine run a small antique book shop in Georgetown, they required an assistant, and I was able to help." Ducky walked back to his desk "Luckily Bunny and Gabe, like Jethro and Young Kimberley come from a simpler time where the word of a friend and willingness to work count for more than a high tech CV and a College education."

Tony groaned "Oh Ducky, you may have killed us all."


	64. Smashed?

Around the same time Gibbs walked into Abby's lab, carrying a large Caf-Pow, "What you got Abby?"

"Gibbs is it true you have a terrible hang-over?" She giggled

"No" he said emphatically "Have you got any prints for me?"

"Loads, Mrs Jackson doesn't keep very good house, there are prints from her, and Grace, as well as Corporal Jackson. On top of that there are prints from Samira Jackson, half a dozen other Marines…."

"Fresh prints Abb's?"

"There are only immediate family" She frowned "Sorry Gibbs" He started to walk away, "Gibbs there's something else"

"What Abby?" he asked irritably

"The glass in the back door that was smashed?"

"Er yeah?"

"It was smashed from the inside out."


	65. Interrogating Jaime

Jaime Jackson sat in the interview room, a cup of coffee beside her. Her eyes darted round the room as Gibb's and Dinozzo stood behind the one way glass watching her discomfort.

"New it was the stepmother" Dinozzo told him, "I've had several Step-Mothers; anyone of them would have happily had me killed."

"This case isn't over Dinozzo" Gibbs reminded him, as the door behind them opened.

"Gibbs" Ziva poked her head round the door frame, "There's a call for you in MTAC."

"Who?" he asked confused

"Corporal Jackson"


	66. MTAC

The man on the screen was a broken man, his eyes were red, his uniform was a mess, and he looked like he'd been run through a mill.

"Corporal Jackson?" Gibbs greeted

"Special Agent Gibbs, have you found my daughter?"

"I'm working on it" He assessed the Corporals look, for a moment he saw himself 20 years before, and shook the thought away. "Corporal Jackson, I know this is hard, but is there anyone who…."

"Is my wife involved?" The Corporal asked suddenly deadly serious, his eyes flashing.

"What makes you say that?"

"I got an e-mail, about a week ago warning me."

"Warning you what?"

"Warning me that my wife was planning to kill my daughter."


	67. Interrogating Jaime part 2

Gibbs sat opposite Jaime Jackson "I don't understand why Sam would say that?" She told him, fighting tears, "how could he think I'd hurt Grace?"

"I don't know"

"I've been the only mother that girl knows since she was 6 months old, I'm trying to adopt her, I wouldn't harm one hair on her head."

"Tell me about Grace" Gibbs asked

"Oh she's funny" Jaime's face lit "She sings all day, these little nonsense songs, she sings to the dog, she sings to the postman, when I'm e-mailing her Dad, she sings to him. She pulls these little faces" she demonstrated by sticking her tongue out and wrinkling her nose "and then she giggles."

Gibbs smiled "Go on"

"She started walking about a year ago, and boy was I in trouble she's into everything and anything, she can get out of her cot, and back in in the night, she uses Buster as her own personal slave."

"Buster?"

"Sam's Dog, he's great with Grace, but anyone he doesn't know he barks and makes a fuss. Grace rides him" she laughed "I'm really worried Agent Gibbs, she hasn't got her bear with her, she can't sleep without her bear, and with her cold, if she's out in the cold…."

"It's OK Mrs Jackson, we'll get her back" he patted her hand, and silently left the room.

Outside the door he walked straight into Tony, "What you think boss?"

"She didn't do it Dinozzo, that little girl is still out there and we need to find her."

"Boss?"

"She didn't DO ANYTHING Dinozzo, find that little girl."


	68. Dog in the nightime

Gibbs grumpily walked into the bull pen "Somebody better have a lead on finding Grace!" he stated.

"Boss" McGee called "I've traced the e-mail received by Corporal Jackson"

"Go on McGee"

"It comes from the email of Johnson B Callway" Gibbs looked confused "Samira Jacksons Father."

Gibbs stared for a moment, then smiled "Good job McGee." He looked around "Tony, Ziva!" he shouted "Get your gear."

"Boss?" McGee asked wearily

"Get me the address for Callway's, then go down to Abby, see if she's got their prints on file."

"You think it's the Grandparents, why?"

"The dog didn't bark".


	69. Callway

Gibbs pulled his black sedan into the Maryland rural street, just after it had got dark. As they approached the house silently, Gibbs sent Ziva round the back, while He and Tony looked firstly through the front window, sat on the sofa an older couple watched TV.

Gibbs was about to kick the door in, when a child started crying from upstairs. Gibbs stopped. He gestured that Dinozzo should holster his weapon, and then did the same. He stood up straight, and knocked on the front door.

A few moments later the door was answered by the older man, Gibbs height wearing blue pyjamas. "Can I help you folks?" he asked

"NCIS" Gibbs showed him his badge, "Can we come in Mr Callway."

"NCIS? Navy cops? Is this about my Granddaughter?"

"Can we come in Mr Callway?" Gibbs asked again stepping forward

"I don't know how I can help you…" the man started

"I don't think that' quite true is it Mr Callway?" Tony told him, stepping into the house.

"What….?" He looked shot "I don't understand?"

"How did you know there was something wrong with your Granddaughter?" Gibbs clarified.

Mr Callway was about to complain again, when he was interrupted by another sharp cry from above, and he swore.

"You used your daughters key to the house to let yourself in, no worries about the dog, he knew you, you took Grace, then you smashed the door to implicate Mrs Jackson." Gibbs told Mrs Callway. "Why?"

"She wanted to take Grace away!"

"She was trying to adopt her?" Gibbs told her.

"Do you know how long after Samira died she was on the scene?" Mrs Callway counted "6 months, that's all it took."

Gibbs shook his head, stood up and left the room.


	70. Home

In the bull pen Jaime Jackson sat on a chair beside Gibbs desk, she sipped a Styrofoam cup of coffee nervously. The MCR Team watched Gibbs walk through the room carrying a little girl in his arms. She was singing, and Gibbs had a massive smile on his face. Jaime looked around and saw them; she was on her feet as Gibbs put the toddler down. The little girl looked confused then looked up and her face lit again.

"MAMAMA" she shrieked and toddled towards Jaime

"Gracey, baby, Gracey" Jaime shrieked back, kneeling down and sweeping the tiny girl into her arms.

"How did you know boss?" Tony asked

Gibbs looked at him incredulously and then shook his head. "I asked her to describe the girl, she didn't tell me what she looked like, or her age, she told me she liked singing, and rode round the house on the dog." Tony looked confused "She's a Mom, Tony."


	71. Coming Home

When Gibbs got home late that night, he smiled to see his truck parked neatly in front of the house, space cleared in front of the Garage for the Government Sedan he'd brought home. The lights of the living room were on low, and he smiled.

The door was always unlocked if one of them was home, he preferred his life that way, walking into the house he saw her lying on the sofa in the gloom, paper work was scattered around her. He smiled and then stilled. Low murmuring in Russian came from the living room, he instinctively pulled his gun. He turned the lights on and entered the room. It was empty apart from Kim, who was still murmuring in Russian. Gibbs holstered his gun and listened.

"It's OK, the child will be OK, he won't hurt you, I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm so sorry" she murmured into the sofa cushion.

"Who you talking to?" He whispered Russian into her ear.

"Natasha" she woke and looked around "Gibbs?"

"You speak Russian?" He asked her still speaking fluently in the language.

"Yes"

"Why do you speak Russian?" He asked sharply.

She looked up at him wide eyed, as he reached for his weapon again.


	72. Pulling the Gun

Gibbs stood in his living room weapon drawn pointing at the terrified girl sitting on the sofa.

"Gibbs?" she questioned "What the hell is wrong?"

"Who are you?" then he repeated in Russian "Who are you?"

"Jethro, you know who I am? Please put the gun away"

"You didn't know 9/11, you can't understand fractions, and you claim your last formal education was 16 years ago, yet you speak fluent Russian. IN YOUR SLEEP!"

Her eyes fixed on the gun "are you going to shoot me?"

"If you give me cause"

"I'm not armed"

"Didn't stop you killing Private Morten?"

"Gibbs please, I don't know what you want from me."

"Who's Natasha?"

"You know who Natasha was, she was my friend and I had to carry her body out of a filthy basement after Michael O'Rourke murdered her" she started to sob.

"She taught you Russian?" Gibbs lowered his gun slightly

"So Michael couldn't understand what we said, he'd taken Natasha off the street, she had been a Student at Georgetown, but she was from St Petersburg originally. "

"You didn't say anything?"

"And you are always so honest and open with me" she stood up and faced him, and he dropped the gun back into its holster. "You're a bastard" She spat in Russian, pushing past him towards the hallway.

"Where are you going?" he shouted at her retreating back.

"I'm leaving"

"You've got nowhere to go!"

"Iя ЗНАЮ!"

Gibbs watched Kim storm into the hallway and up the stairs, he closed his eyes and for a moment thought on Jenny, on Hollis, on Stephanie and Ginger on Diane and every other woman who'd walked out like this. No not like this, they'd walked out because he was a heartless bastard, a cheat, a liar, he was not going to let Kim walk out because he nearly shot her. Putting his gun safely into its locked case, he turned towards the hallway. "KIM" he shouted

She was standing on the turn of the stairs, struggling to control her breathing, grasping and ungrasping her fists., He bolted up the first set of steps to her. "Go to hell". She whispered.

Gibbs grabbed her wrist, twisted her round and pushed her into the wall. Her eyes widened, his adrenaline was pumping and he was aroused, he watched the light spark in her eyes, then die as she went limp expecting to be hurt. "Kim" he whispered then kissed her hard, pressing his body into hers.

She looked into his eyes, something she couldn't, wouldn't, and wasn't allowed to do with Michael. Gibbs kiss was softer, he called her name, and he met her gaze. He quirked his eye slightly, suddenly this wasn't threatening, it was game, if she said no, if she remained limp he'd let her go, take a cold shower, sand some wood and in the morning she'd be gone and he'd be alone again. "Gibbs" she swallowed hard then attacked his mouth with her own.

Their teeth clashed, he pulled her hair and she ripped at his already torn shirt. He ran his hands down her back to her bum pulling her closer, she was wearing a long loose dress and Gibbs pulled it up and over her head. As she pulled his shirt from his back, he nuzzled her cleavage leaving tiny bites across her pale skin. They crashed down onto the steps, as Gibbs removed his belt and she shrieked in pain and surprise. Her back arched on the sharp step edges pushing her breasts up into his face.

His weight crushed her, and she could feel the muscles in his chest as he held her down, her breathing had to remain shallow and every breath brought the smell of him. She didn't ask about work, letting him tell her if he needed too, but she could tell he'd shot someone today. The smell of blood and gunshot residue was interlaced with coffee and sawdust. She wondered what had caused him to distrust her so totally, then as her mind wandered she realised he'd finished undressing and her mind went blank.


	73. The morning after

Kim lay bruised and sore in Gibbs arms, naked and laying exhausted on his bed. She curled a hand over his chest a he ran a gentle hand through her hair. "You OK?" he whispered planting a kiss on her head.

"Of course" she smiled nuzzling into his chest "are you?"

"My knees and back hurt" he admitted "I'm getting to old for this" he smiled.

"I think you ambushed me" she scolded lightly "Do you trust me again?"

Gibbs swallowed and closed his eyes, the fight had been enjoyable but he had no desire to return to it yet, "you trust me" he told her, "despite it all, that wasn't resignation, you enjoyed that, and you trusted me not to hurt you."

"Much" she added and she kissed his bloody scratched shoulder. "So you don't think I'm some Russian Agent 13, seducing you, lulling you into a false sense of security, only to betray you?"

"You'd have to be a bloody good actress to fake that" his mind wandered back to Moscow, "I know now when someone is acting"

"Was this a test?" she asked

"An enjoyable one" he kissed her lips and brought her up so she straddled him.

They stared into one another's eyes for a few moments, until Gibbs smiled widely and Kim burst out laughing.

Tony walked into the office early surprised to find Kim sitting at his desk, they'd been out chasing down a suspect most of the day. Ziva and Gibbs had taken the suspect to interrogation, while McGee and Abby sorted through the evidence in her lab.

"Are you waiting for the boss?" he asked her.

"No, is he back?"

"Yeah, just now" he looked confused, and tried desperately not to notice the bite marks on her neck and light bruises on her arms, "Are you waiting for McGee?"

"No!" she smiled "I'm waiting for you"

"Why?"

"I got a surprise day of work"

"Huh?"

"Someone dropped a bug bomb in the aisle and they sent me went home till it was sorted"

"You work in a book store?"

"Yeah" She waved it away "Tony I need your help"

"Look, if you and the boss…."

"With my homework"

"Your?"

"I'm trying to get my high school diploma"

"OK"

"I'm currently heading for a 4.0, IF, I can ace this class, and for that Tony I need you"

"Which class?"

"American History"

Tony groaned "Fine" he pulled over McGee's chair and grabbed her essay and a pen, "4.0? You trying to get into College?"

"Of course"

"Have you told Gibbs?"

"Have you told Gibbs what DiNozzo?" Gibbs shouted walking in from the elevators, he did a small double take when he saw Kim.

"Are you OK?" he asked his voice serious, and he ignored Tony.

"Yes, I got sent home from work, so I thought I'd get Tony to…"

"What!"

"Help her with her homework boss, there's nothing wrong" Tony diffused sensing his boss's mood.

"You should have asked me!"

Gibbs escorted Kim out to the car park, and walked her to the truck. "After last night, you turned up here?" he asked her incredulously

"I got sent home from work, and I knew Tony could help with my paper" she pleaded ""I didn't think."

"No, you never do"

"That's unfair Gibbs, I do nothing but think….." she stopped looked at his angry face and giggled "Rule 18"

He smiled "You're quoting my rules again"

"I need to get a 4.0" she stated simply

"You want to go to college?" He ran his hand through his short hair, "that's what you haven't told me, you're going to college?"

"Only if I get the grades" she nodded

"Why didn't you tell me?" He cocked his head "Did you think I'd be upset" he thought for a moment "or are you really leaving?"

"Gibbs if you want me to leave I will go, but that wasn't my plan" she hopped onto the bonnet of the truck, so she was at his eye height, "I know you're not in this for the long haul, and I'm fine with that, I'm grateful for you taking me in, but I need to regain my life I want an education go to college find a profession."

"The long haul?" Gibbs asked

"I'm fine with that, honestly" she smiled widely, then slowly frowned as she looked at his bewildered face. "It's fine"

"You're building an escape plan, for the day I find someone else?"

"Of course" she stroked his hair "It seemed sensible, you don't love me, you've been married 4 times, we have a best by date."

"They left me" he told her "In their own ways, they all left me. And you know what? I let them, and the only one I've ever stopped?" he grabbed her wrist "Is you!"

"Jethro" she whispered "I like you, I probably like you more than I should, but you can't feel the same about me, and I'm resigned to that."

"Doesn't mean I'm looking for another girl"

"Doesn't it?"

"Are you looking for another guy?"

"No!"

"You looked at any Colleges yet?"

"No?"

"Do you want me to come with you when you do?"

She giggled and rested her forehead on his chest "Would you?"

He kissed her forehead.


	74. The First Christmas

The NCIS Christmas tree had gone up after Thanksgiving, and Gibbs had studiously ignored it. It wasn't that he disliked Christmas but he tended to treat it like any other day. The year before his Father had come to visit, which hadn't been quite as imagined, but it reminded him that Christmas should be marked with more than a visit to church and pickling yourself in the basement.

He and Kim had spent Thanksgiving with the rest of the family at Ducky's, and the conversation over dinner had turned to Christmas plans. Gibbs had explained that the likelihood of them having any Christmas time off was incredibly slim, but as every previous year it didn't stop the team planning. When the conversation came round to Kim, she'd looked panicked before Gibbs had smoothly told her they'd talk it over in Private, and the conversation had moved on.

When Kim had come home from church on the first Sunday of Advent, clutching the Christmas schedule of masses, it had amused him how excited she was. Her first Christmas in nearly 16 years, and she was determined to make the most of it. Gibbs attended Alexandria First Church most Sundays, but Kim had joined the Catholic Congregation at the Blessed Sacrament, and attended 3 or 4 masses a week including Confession.

It annoyed Gibbs that she confessed every Saturday, he classed it along with saying sorry. Something that was in essence completely pointless, but he often watched her leaving the house in a black dress and veil that Abby would have approved of her face as sombre as the grave, and return full of smiles, agreeable to him doing anything he wanted to her. Usually taking the ridiculous outfit off her as soon as humanely possible and fucking her senseless. Only for her to confess everything the following week.

Christmas however had sent her into a spiral of Catholicism that put the confessions in the shade. She had added an Advent candle to the dinner table and now every evening they ate their meals in the soft candle light. Her normal evening prayers had started to rival the time Gibbs spent in the basement, and it seemed to him she was spending more time at church than she did at home or at her job. However apart from the candle she hadn't dared ask Gibbs if she could decorate the house.

He'd thought about little else while at home, even at work that damn tree kept reminding him of the date. He'd expected her to ask the moment they'd returned from Ducky's, when she hadn't he'd felt slightly relieved. Then when she'd spent 2 full days decorating the church, even bringing home some of the Crib figurines to repair their outfits and he'd prepared for her to ask about his Christmas traditions. When she didn't he realised she wasn't going to ask, she expected him to be sad or upset and so had thrown herself into the Churches Christmas instead. That was what really galled him, he wanted her to enjoy Christmas, to start building herself happy memories, he just wasn't sure he could put his own past aside to achieve it.

On December 13th St Lucy's day he came home to find the smell of baking, and St Lucy buns sat on the table. In a jar on the mantelpiece she'd placed a string of battery powered fairy lights. "Very pretty" he told her munching on the cinnamon bun.

"You don't mind?" she asked nervously picking at the front of her apron, "They'll be gone tomorrow"

"Why?"

"St Lucy's day" she shrugged "It's only one night".

"You can leave them for longer" he said quietly "For Christmas"

She looked unsure and then disappeared back into the kitchen, "There's a chicken curry in the pan" she called, "if you get washed up I'll serve it".

He took his cue and walked away, but he noted the next day and the day after that the lights in the jar had stayed. On the third day he hadn't gone home a case had taken them to Pittsburgh, and the lateness of the hour had found it more useful to stay the night in a motel than travel back. While Ziva Tony and McGee had taken the opportunity to visit a bar, Gibbs had found a place called 24 hour Christmas Magic. On a whim he'd taken the sedan out into the countryside following the strangely shaped elf signs to a Christmas tree farm with a store attached.

A few years ago he'd made a joke about Santa being sick in Abby's lab around the Christmas holidays, it was coming back to haunt him in a shack off the highway. One of his problems was he didn't have a clue what sort of Christmas Decorations to buy. Shannon had always made the house look so beautiful, Kelly had always decorated her room with pink and fluff and cardboard and paper cut outs, but had loved bright garish lights. All three ex-wives had gone for understated elegance, but his own mother had favoured huge brash fairy lights.

He looked round for several minutes at the singing Santa's and flashing snowman, wondering if she'd be horrified or delighted, Finally he thought he'd just leave when a small older woman tapped him on the waist. "Can I help you son?" she asked

He looked down noting the woman's Irish accent "Hi, erm, could you tell me about a traditional Irish Christmas?"

"Catholic or Protestant"

A dangerous question he knew "Erm my friend is Irish Catholic, it's her first Christmas over here and I want to make her feel at home"

"Friend you say? Female friend is it?"

Gibbs smirked "It's not like that" he lied smoothly "She's young, just been orphaned she's staying with me while she hasn't got anywhere else to go" he smiled "I'd like to make her happy"

The old lady smiled "That's a nice thing to do for a friend" she grabbed his hand "Your young lady, where in Ireland is she from?"

"Dun Loghaire"

"And you're planning to take her swimming of course?"

"Swimming?"

"On Christmas day" she smirked "You have to swim naked on Christmas Day" Gibbs blushed, he realised he'd done it when he looked into her eyes "Of course you'll have to marry her after that".

He laughed "Anything that won't cost me my house?" he asked.

It had puzzled the team the next day when they went to pile their bags into the trunk of the Sedan that it was now packed with green boxes from 'Christmas Magic', the unwritten rule not to ask about Gibb's private life forced them to maintain an uncomfortable silence on the matter. As they hit the Maryland border Tim started singing in his sleep, this wasn't unusual and it was one of the secrets between the MCRT that Gibbs kept out of the playground. This time however he started singing The Kerry Christmas Carol. Gibbs turned sharply "McGEE" he shouted.

"Er boss?" McGee woke with a start.

"What are you singing?"

McGee rubbed his eyes "Sorry boss?" he looked at the others "Erm, was it the Kerry Christmas Carol?"

"Yes" Gibbs told him "You're family is Irish isn't it?"

"Yes boss"

"Good, you're coming home with me this evening".

Gibbs made Tim carry a load of the boxes into his house "er boss? What am I doing?"

"We're going to decorate the house for Christmas"

"Where's Kim?" McGee asked

"Church" he smirked "Look Tim, she'd missed out on 16 Christmas's and she thinks I'm such a bastard I would object if she decorated".

"So we're decorating for her" McGee nodded "That's nice boss"

Gibbs smirked "Yeah" he walked to the kitchen and opened the fridge "beer?"

"Oh please" McGee smiled, opening the first box and finding a wreath of holly "Can this go on the front door?"

Gibbs came back into the room and handed the beer to Tim "Put it wherever you think best" he smirked "That's why you're here".

When Kim came home from the first Advent-o, it was starting to snow, and she thought she saw white lights strung under the eaves of the house. When she walked to the door, she realised they were real, what's more a Holly wreath hung from the front door.

"Jethro?" she asked walking in to the living room finding it filled with soft candle light. A real Christmas tree stood in the corner, lit with tiny candles. On the mantle her jar of lights still stood, but was now joined by an Ivy and red ribbon swatch. The fireplace was lit and shadows danced around the room, which for once had been cleared of random files and the bicycle, it looked warm and inviting. "Jethro? Gibbs? If you come out dressed as Santi I will scream?"

She walked into the kitchen to find Fries and a Chocolate milkshake, "It's your favourite" Gibbs whispered into her ear, bringing his hands around her waist.

She sobbed "It's Christmas"

"Yep, just for you"

"You're really rather wonderful. You know that?"

"Yeah"

"I'm worrying close to saying those words I'm not allowed to say" she told him

He smirked and kissed her on the lips "Merry Christmas Kim".


	75. Valentines Day

It was Valentines Day and the usual traditions were being observed in the bull pen, everyone came in to a black envelope with an anatomically correct heart stencilled on to it from Abby, who in her turn had a lab full of black roses, and heart covered caf-pows. Tony had a desk full of cards, which the rest of the team had always assumed he sent to himself. Tim had a single card tucked beside his computer screen, Ziva had one on the desk and 10 in her drawer she would go through later. As with every previous year Gibbs had placed Ay’s on top of his filing cabinet and got on with the work at hand. Nobody would ever ask him, and he didn’t tell. It wasn’t until he’d gone for coffee and come back, that he noticed another card on his desk, complete with postmark.  
“DiNozzo?” he asked.  
“Sorry boss, it got caught up with my Valentines Cards, only just noticed?”  
Gibbs looked suspicious, then picked it up, the address was typed and the whole package came from an address of a gift store in Anacostia. The envelope was heavier than he’d expect from a card, and didn’t bend. Remembering Tony’s spell in Bethseda, he picked the envelope up and took it to Interrogation. Other than Abby’s lab it would be the easiest room to lock down in necessary, he sent the technician sitting in the obs room away, and locked himself in. He placed the envelope on the metal table, and took out his knife, slicing through the paper, and removing the content carefully. Inside there was a thin oval shaped slither of maple wood, the width of a veneer, in the wood there was a traditional heart seared into the wood, the colour of the wood, and the delicate work gave it a blush of pink. Above the heart in delicate calligraphy were the words, FOR YOU, and in the same work underneath FROM ME.   
He smiled, the girl was a fool, but somehow she’d found a valentine card that was understated and hand crafted, everything he looked for in gift. He carried it reverently out of the interrogation room and back to the bullpen, leaning it against the cubicle wall, beside his few pictures and behind Abby’s card. For the rest of the day, unbeknownst to himself a small smile stayed on his lips.  
When he got home that night, his ‘card’ came with him, along with a box from a jewellers, he received his normal enthusiastic hug, and when and got changed out of his work clothes while she dished up chicken chasseur. They sat and ate in relative silence, and when he’d finished she stood and cleared his plate, while he dug the crossword out from the middle of the paper, and grabbed a pen.  
“I got a Valentines at work” he called into the kitchen when he’d sat down again.  
“From Abby?” she asked casually.  
“No, well yes, but another one”  
She put her head round the door and smiled “really? Secret admirer?”  
“Obviously?” he smiled “Did you get any?”  
She shook her head “no nobody loves me” she smiled brightly showing she was joking, and came and sat beside him.  
“Hmm? Are you sure?” he didn’t look up from the paper, “I thought I saw something on the mantelpiece?”  
She looked at him, her eyes wide, and he met her eye, nodding slightly, she pushed her chair back and skipped to the fireplace. Sat on top of it, beside the photo of Shannon and Kelly sat a small black box the name of a jewellers stenciled into the top. She opened it excitedly and found inside a silver necklace, the thin chain ended with a silver carved shamrock the size of a dime. Each vein of the leaf stood out, and as she move it in the firelight it sparkled, turning it over carved into the back were the words For You, From Me.


	76. Lucille Part 1

The case had been fraught, a child killer, taking Naval Dependents, Gibbs had thought he was losing his mind as the killer taunted them with body after body. In every face he saw Kelly. He couldn't speak to Kim, the torture those children had been through had reminded him painfully of the scars on his lovers body, he had told her he was going to stay at the Navy Yard, and she'd just wished him well, reminding him he could always talk to her. He'd sent Tim and Abby home immediately after the arrest, they'd both been traumatised. He assumed they would go home together, find comfort in each other's arms. He loved Abby like a daughter, he didn't mind her relationship with Tim as long as it didn't affect their work. Ziva wouldn't leave without Tony, Tony wouldn't leave before Gibbs, so they sat till 9 pretending to be working, eventually Tony had fallen asleep exhaustion getting the better of him, and Gibbs convinced Ziva to take him home. If they ended up like Tim and Abby, so be it, they'd be safe and asleep and he wouldn't have to worry about them. Eventually he sat alone in the bull pen, staring blankly at walls, he didn't want to go home, and he didn't want to sleep at his desk again. If he'd been single, he might have found a girl, gone back to her place. Anonymous sex, the old fall back of the utter bastard.

In the end he settled for the other fall back of the cowboy, the bar and Bourbon. He entered the bar, he'd been there numerous times after tough cases, and it was dark and anonymous. He ordered a neat Bourbon, took off his coat and jacket, and sat on a bar stool. A second Bourbon quickly followed, then a third. He watched the door behind him open, the bar was nearly empty, a few men playing pool and him, so when she walked in, she got all their attentions. She looked along the bar, as if ensure whether to stay or run. Wearing a short skirt and wide lapelled blouse, with heels that were too high for her, her hair was tied back in a tight bun, but a loose strand of red escaped, her makeup was cheap and inexpertly applied. Gibbs had seen the look in the woman's eye before, he could see what she wanted. He checked the door, and then went and sat beside her.

"Can I buy you a drink?" he asked, she just nodded, he looked her up and down unashamedly, and "Vodka, neat he asked the barman" The woman smiled, and tilted her head in thanks. "I'm Jethro" he told her offering his hand.

He took it, "Lucille" she told him, and laughed.

"Pretty name" he told her.

They sat in silence sipping their drinks, she kicked a heel off onto the floor, and slipped her stocking covered foot up and down his leg. He smiled, and squeezed her thigh, riding her skirt up slightly to feel the pinched flesh where her suspender belt nicked her delicate flesh. She shuddered, and he waved his hand to the barman, to bring him his 5th Bourbon and her second vodka. She undid the top button of her blouse, letting him see her cleavage, encased in black silk. Gibbs heart beat faster the alcohol now coursing through his system. He knew the barman was pouring her doubles, and so drink for drink she was one behind. He could see her jugular pulsing, her neck flushing with arousal. His mind briefly rested on the idea of taking her to the men's room, it had been years since he'd had a casual fuck in a bathroom stall.

"There is a motel across the street" she whispered

He quirked an eyebrow as she removed the key card from the pocket of her blouse, "another round, then the cheque" Gibbs told the barman. Meeting out a fistful of notes, he threw them on the bar. They were now drink for drink, and as she replaced her heel, he checked his wallet.

"It's OK" she told him, "I'm well prepared"

He groaned with desire and followed her out of the bar. He took her arm as they crossed the street, she leaned heavily on him as her giddy gate in the unfamiliar heels made her sway. The motel was cheap, and finding her room, the couple passed a whore and her pimp. "Nice place" Gibbs joked.

They got to the room, and he realised she hadn't been joking about being prepared, a moment of discomfort passed him when he saw the condoms and lube littering the turned down bed. "I was desperate for some company she told him" kissing him full on the lips, and running her hands across his chest and back. She came across his weapon and looked curious "I would say is that a gun in your pocket, but I know it is, and it's in a holster" she ran her hand across his belt and found his badge. "You a cop?"

"A fed" he told her, kissing her deeply, pulling at the pins of her bun and letting her hair fall. He undid his holster, and dropped it and his badge onto the room's only chair, along with his coat and jacket.

"You're very handsome" she told him, "very sexy" he smiled.

"You're very beautiful" he told her. She started to remove her blouse, but he put a hand out to stop her, kissing her he started to undo the buttons himself. Revealing the front clipped black silk and lace bar he'd glimpsed earlier. He unclipped it and pulled both blouse and shirt from her.

She undid the buttons on his shirt, leaving his chest exposed, then working on his belt. "Sit on the bed" she ordered.

He did as he was told and she knelt by his feet, removing his shoes and socks. She stood and slipped off her short skirt, letting him see her lace black panties, suspender belt and through the gaps in the material her waxed pussy. "Wow!"

He stood and pulled his trousers of, sitting back on the bed wearing his open shirt and boxers. Kneeling back between his legs, she undid the buttons of his shorts and freed his now straining cock. "May I?" she asked

"Please" he whimpered slightly as she engulfed his member into her hot mouth. He closed his eyes as she started to suck, "Oh God" he sighed.

She started to caress his thighs, kneed them with her fists, while keeping the pressure of her mouth on his cock. She moved one hand to his balls, squeezing and fondling them, before relaxing her throat and taking him further in. He started to breath hard and she knew he was close. He started to buck and grabbed her head, fucking her mouth with vengeance. After a few moments of rough beat less thrusting he groaned, filling her pretty mouth. She swallowed hard, trying not to gag as the former Marine held her head to his crotch.

He blinked, and breathed out controlling his heart rate, then let go of her head, and let her sit back on her heels. "That was amazing" he told her.

"I know" she smiled and licked her lips provocatively. He pulled her up by the shoulders, claiming her mouth, tasting himself on her lips and tongue. He placed his thumbs either side of the waist band of her panties, and pulled them down her legs. She went to kick her shoes of but he slapped her butt hard.

"Leave them" he told her, he knelt forward and placed a kiss on the lips of her cunny, swirling his tongue around the delicate tissue, she moaned, running his fingers between her delicate petals he felt her dripping pussy. Using his fingers he gently found her clitoris, sucking the hardening tissue and eliciting a high moan. He hummed and she started to wriggle, he slipped a finger into her moist cunt, then a second then a third, she mewled as he started to fuck her. Continuing to manipulate her clit, he thrust hard, feeling her breath hard, her mews became sobs of pleasure, she reached out and grabbed his shoulders digging long fake nails into the sensitive flesh, and she came like that screaming over and over. When she'd come down slightly, he picked her up and threw her down on the bed, removing his soaking shorts, she looked up to see his cock was once again hard, he grabbed a packet at random from the bed, ripping it open he applied the thick rubber to his cock.

"Oh God" she moaned, and he forced her thighs wide apart, lifting her hips and positioning himself between her legs. She reached out for him, but he'd had enough of what those nails could do, he grabbed both her thin wrists in one of his hands, then bringing his cockhead up to her gaping pussy, pushed roughly inside. She screamed again, as he thrust into her, wrapping her high heeled feet behind his back, she pulled him closer to her. His once free hand, he wrapped under her waist, pulling her towards him as he thrust into her. It was fast and brutal, he grunted and she squealed, as her orgasm started to peak she kicked her heels into his back, he arched forward and claimed her lips with his own, they came like that, together, drawn as close as possible, in the cheap motel room.

Half an hour later, Gibbs woke from a slight dose with the girl pressed to his chest, he'd lost his shirt, and she no longer wore stockings and heels. He kissed the top of her head, and she hummed happily. "I've got a question?" he asked.

"Yeah?" she asked leaning on one arm and looking into his soft blue eyes.

"Why Lucille?"

"Kenny Rogers" she told him, "In a bar in Toledo, across from the depot…" she sang softly.

"Kim!" he laughed

"What?"

"We're not in Toledo?"

"Its fantasy Gibbs, it doesn't have to be true."


	77. Lucille Part 2

He walked into the Navy Yard dressed the same as he had been the night before, she'd packed him a clean set of clothes, and when he spotted it matched what he'd worn the night before a wicked thought had crossed her mind. He sipped his coffee and scratched absentmindedly at a bite on his neck. He smiled remembering how he'd got it, his memory entertained him till he got to the elevator, and he jogged to catch up with Tony and Ziva who were just entering it together.

"Boss" Tony greeted, and Ziva nodded in his direction. He smiled and turned away from them facing the door, they exchanged glances, "so what time did you get home last night boss? Tony asked

"Didn't" Gibbs grunted, the elevator door pinged open and he stepped out leaving the younger agents to look at each other.

"Channel Number 5" Ziva said quietly.

"Same clothes he wore yesterday" Tony added.

"Lipstick on his collar" Ziva told him.

They walked into the bull pen to find Gibbs stripping off his shirt, his back was covered in small bruises and deep nail scratches, and he chucked the shirt into a draw, and pulled on an NCIS T-Shirt instead. McGee was sat transfixed, and shared an awkward look with his colleagues.

"Everything OK Boss?" McGee asked

"Yeah, McGee" he looked at the younger man, whose face was pale "Did you sleep?"

"Not much"

"We've got paperwork" Gibbs told them "get it done, we can all get out of here at 5."

"What really?" McGee asked

"Cue someone getting iced on a Navy Frigate" Tony laughed then looking at the older man's steel gaze "getting on it boss"

Gibbs picked up his phone and dialled Kim "Hi, I won't be home till tonight, yeah" he smirked when he realised he had an audience "been here all night, OK, see you later".

There was a scrabbling sound as the three other agents scrambled to cover their eavesdropping. "So, erm, I'm going to see Abby" Tony waved his report, "I just need some stuff clearing up?"

"NO!" Abby protested "NO! Not Gibbs" she hit Tony "Gibbs is not a cheat"

"Don't know what to tell you Ab's" Tony was sitting on her workbench, having come down just to chat "smells like a $50 whore, lipstick stains and nail marks, I did my time at vice, I know what that means".

"Maybe he was undercover?" Abby asked "Maybe he's doing some hinky black op?"

"Or maybe, nasty case a bit too close to home, he went to a bar, picked up a girl" he shrugged "he wouldn't be the first"

"The first to do what? DiNozzo" Gibbs asked quietly coming up behind him. Tony gave him a calculating look, which was mirrored on Abby's face, "what?" Gibbs snapped. Abby came up and sniffed him, he smirked.

"You go for a drink last night boss?" Tony asked.

Gibbs glared "Yeah" he quirked his eyes question.

Tony shared a look of bitter triumph with Abby, "I've got the evidence log I needed" Tony told Gibbs "waving a random sheet of paper." He skipped out of the room as quick as he could.

"You're playing with them" Abby told Gibbs, "I know you Gibbs"

He smiled "Tony come to tell you I'm a cheating bastard?"

"Yep" she kissed his cheek "You and Kim got some kinky game going on?"

"Just keeping my reputation Ab's".


	78. Memory Part 1

The pain of loss was tangible, when he woke, he could feel it, pressing deep inside his chest. His heart literally breaking. Jethro Gibbs gasped with the pain of it, he reached out and felt the hair of his wife spread on the pillow. She was sleeping soundly, and for a moment he was confused.

"Shan?" he asked out loud.

"No you bastard" the woman beside him complained "I'm your current wife"

Gibbs swore under his breath "Stephanie, Stephanie I didn't mean it"

"You never do Jethro."


End file.
